N-3 Fatty Acids Research Articles

Investigation into the Properties of L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate and Seal Oil as a Potential Atherosclerosis Intervention in Rats.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to tissue ischemia. As the biologically active form of folic acid, L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF) can improve endothelial function. And Seal oil plays a beneficial role in the progression of atherosclerosis. The study aims to evaluate beneficial effects of L-5-MTHF alone or in combination with Seal oil on atherosclerosis. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control (normal diet), atherosclerosis (high-fat diet), folic acid (high-fat+3 mg/kg folic acid), low-dose L-5-MTHF (high-fat+3 mg/kg L-5-MTHF), low-dose L-5-MTHF+Seal oil (high-fat+3 mg/kg L-5-MTHF+0.5 g/kg Seal oil), high-dose L-5-MTHF (high-fat+10 mg/kg L-5-MTHF). After 13 wk, rats were sacrificed. Rats exhibiting atherosclerosis had dyslipidemia and serious aortic lesions. Supplementation with low-dose L-5-MTHF+Seal oil or use of high-dose L-5-MTHF increased serum folate concentrations, decreased homocysteine levels, improved the serum lipid profile, up-regulated expression of NO and NOS, enhancement of the antioxidant properties of GSH-Px activity and reduction in the concentration of MDA, levels of Olr1 and RelA mRNA decreased in aortic tissues, and expression of inflammatory factors, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and endothelial cell injury factors ET-1 and sICAM-1, were also down-regulated. In addition, HD-L-5-MTHF increased the antioxidant activity of serum SOD. We conclude that L-5-MTHF has obvious anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on diseased blood vessels. The intervention of L-5-MTHF alone or in combination with Seal oil can improve atherosclerosis in rats and reduce the occurrence of aortic lesions. The anti-atherosclerotic mechanism may be related to down-regulation of Olr1 and RelA expression.

An Overview Of Interaction Between Lipid Profile And Inflammation In Obesity

Obesity is becoming a worldwide issue. It is a multifactorial health problem. One of the most highlighted factors is the extra fat storage in the body. There are multiple types of fats, divided into healthy and unhealthy fats. Serum lipid profile is one of the routine tests which measures triglycerides, total cholesterol, lipoproteins in the body. It helps diagnose if an individual has specific high or low values to determine the link between weight and fat accumulation. There are possibilities that obesity is because of some other reason like genetic mutation or inflammation. The inflammatory mechanism of obesity is linked with the inflammation of adipose tissues leading to tissue hypoxia resulting in HIF-1αlpha and NFkB activation. Many interleukins and cytokines are activated in response, causing inflammation in the body. The body's inflammatory response is also found to affect the lipid profile values. Researchers have found that inflammation and lipid profile are separate indicators but are linked, and one affects the other significantly. High saturated fatty acids, VLDLs, dietary fats, n6-fatty acids and oxLDL increase inflammation in the body leading to obesity. On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acids, n3-fatty acids, HDL decrease inflammation in the body. Inflammation also affects values, as in hypoxia, HIF-1α is unregulated. It causes dyslipidemia, resulting in increased triglycerides and cholesterol in the body.

Feeding Date-Palm Leaves Ensiled with Fibrolytic Enzymes or Multi-Species Probiotics to Farafra Ewes: Intake, Digestibility, Ruminal Fermentation, Blood Chemistry, Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Profile.

Simple SummaryUnder semi-arid and arid conditions, trees and shrubs such as date palm can be used as an adequate source of feed for goats and sheep to reduce feed cost. However, the low nutritive value of such materials determines its nutritive value. Ensiling with fibrolytic enzymes or lactic-acid bacteria can be used to enhance the nutritive value of date palm leaves and other agricultural byproducts before feeding to animals. Exogenous enzymes can alter the structure of the tissue while lactic-acid bacteria improve ensiling in enhancing nutrient digestibility, resulting in improved performance (daily gain or milk production). This may enhance farmers’ gain and animal health. This is the first experiment to utilize ensiling with fibrolytic enzymes or lactic-acid bacteria to enhance the nutritive value of date palm leaves as an unconventional feed.The present experiment evaluated the feeding of date palm leaves (DPL) ensiled with fibrolytic enzymes (ENZ) or multi-species probiotics (MSP) on nutrient utilization and lactational performance of ewes. Fifty multiparous lactating Farafra ewes were used in a completely randomized design for 90 d. The treatments consisted of the control diet with a concentrate feed mixture and date palm leaves (at 60:40, DM basis) ensiled without additive (control) or DPL ensiled with ENZ or MSP replacing control DPL at 50 or 100%. Both ENZ and MSP increased (p < 0.01) DPL and total intakes, digestibility of all nutrients, concentrations of ammonia, total volatile fatty acids, acetate and propionate in the rumen. Increased milk production, concentrations of fat, lactose and energy in milk, and feed efficiency were observed with MSP and ENZ compared to the control treatment. Moreover, ENZ and MSP increased (p < 0.05) the concentrations of total n3, n6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids and decreased (p < 0.001) the atherogenicity. The differences between ENZ and MSP and between the low and high replacement levels were minor for all measured parameters. Ensiling of DPL with MSP or fibrolytic enzymes is recommended to improve feed efficiency and improve lactational performance of ewes.

Walnut Oil Reduces Aβ Levels and Increases Neurite Length in a Cellular Model of Early Alzheimer Disease.

(1) Background: Mitochondria are the cells’ main source of energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction represents a key hallmark of aging and is linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Maintaining mitochondrial function might contribute to healthy aging and the prevention of AD. The Mediterranean diet, including walnuts, seems to prevent age-related neurodegeneration. Walnuts are a rich source of α-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential n3-fatty acid and the precursor for n3-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA), which might potentially improve mitochondrial function. (2) Methods: We tested whether a lipophilic walnut extract (WE) affects mitochondrial function and other parameters in human SH-SY5Y cells transfected with the neuronal amyloid precursor protein (APP695). Walnut lipids were extracted using a Soxhlet Extraction System and analyzed using GC/MS and HPLC/FD. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations were quantified under basal conditions in cell culture, as well as after rotenone-induced stress. Neurite outgrowth was investigated, as well as membrane integrity, cellular reactive oxygen species, cellular peroxidase activity, and citrate synthase activity. Beta-amyloid (Aβ) was quantified using homogenous time-resolved fluorescence. (3) Results: The main constituents of WE are linoleic acid, oleic acid, α-linolenic acid, and γ- and δ-tocopherol. Basal ATP levels following rotenone treatment, as well as citrate synthase activity, were increased after WE treatment. WE significantly increased cellular reactive oxygen species but lowered peroxidase activity. Membrane integrity was not affected. Furthermore, WE treatment reduced Aβ1–40 and stimulated neurite growth. (4) Conclusions: WE might increase ATP production after induction of mitochondrial biogenesis. Decreased Aβ1–40 formation and enhanced ATP levels might enhance neurite growth, making WE a potential agent to enhance neuronal function and to prevent the development of AD. In this sense, WE could be a promising agent for the prevention of AD.

Plasma and red blood cell n3 fatty acids correlate positively with the WISC-R verbal and full-scale intelligence quotients and inversely with Conner's parent-rated ADHD index t-scores in children with high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome

Findings of the fatty acid status of people with autism spectrum disorders have been incongruent perhaps because of the diversity of the condition. A cross-sectional design study was used to investigated fatty acid levels and relationships between fatty acids, and cognition and behaviour in a homogenous group of children with autism spectrum disorder. Children with Asperger's syndrome (AS) /high functioning autism (n = 44) and healthy siblings (n = 17) were recruited from the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre for Children with Autism, Warsaw, Poland. In the AS group, plasma phosphatidylcholine 22:5n3 correlated positively with verbal (r = 0.357, p = 0.019) and full scale (r = 0.402, p = 0.008) IQs, red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 22:5n3 with verbal (r = 0.308, p = 0.044), performance (r = 0.304, p = 0.047) and full scale (r = 0.388, p = 0.011) IQs and red blood cell phosphatidylethanolamine 22:5n3 with verbal (r = 0.390, p = 0.010) and full scale (r = 0.370, p = 0.016) IQs. Whilst, plasma phosphatidycholine 20:5n3 (r = -0.395, p = 0.009), 22:6n3 (r = -0.402, p = 0.007) and total n3 fatty acids (r = -425, p = 0.005), red blood cell phosphatidlycholine 20:5n3 (r = -0.321, p = 0.036) and red blood cell phosphatidylethanolamine 20:5n3 (r = -0.317, p = 0.038), 22:6n3 (r = -0.297, p = 0.05) and total n3 fatty acids (r = -0.306, p = 0.046) correlated inversly with ADHD index. Similarly, inattention was negatively related with plasma phosphatidylcholine 22:6n3 (r = -0.335, p = 0.028), and total n3 fatty acids (r = -0.340, p = 0.026), oppositional with plasma phosphatidylcholine 18:3n3 (r = -0.333, p = 0.029), 20:5n3 (r = -0.365, p = 0.016), total n3 fatty acids (r = -0.293, p < 0.05), red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 18:3n3 (r = -0.337, p = 0.027) and red blood cell ethanolamine 18:3n3 (r = - 0.333, p = 0.029), 20:5n3 (r = -0.328, p = 0.032), 22:6n3 (r = 0.362, p = 0.017) and total n-3 fatty acids (r = -0.298, p < 0.05) and hyperactivity with plasma phosphatidylcholine 22:6n3 (r = -0.320, p = 0.039). In contrast, there were inverse correlations between red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 18:2n6 and performance (r = -0.358, p = 0.019) and full scale (r = -0.320, p = 0.039) IQs, and direct correlations between red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 22:4n6 (r = 0.339, p = 0.026) and 22:5n6 (r = 0.298, p < 0.05) and ADHD index, between red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 22:4n6 (r = 0.308, p = 0.044) and inattention, between plasma phosphatidylcholine 22:4n6 (r = 0.341, p = 0.025), red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 20:4n6 (r = 0.314, p = 0.041) and total n6 fatty acids (r = 0.336, p = 0.028) and oppositional and plasma phosphatidylcholine 20:3n6 (r = 0.362, p = 0.018) and red blood cell phosphatidylcholine 20:3n6 (r = 0.401, p = 0.009) and hyperactivity. The findings of the ethnically homogenous children with Asperger's syndrome/high functioning autism study revealed positive associations between 22:5n3 and cognition, and negative relationships between 20:5n3 and 22:6n3 and behavioural problem. In contrast, cognitive ability and behavioural problems were negatively and positively associated with n6 fatty acids. Further investigation is required to establish whether there a cause and effect relationship. Regardless, it would be prudent to ensure that children with the conditions have optimum n3 PUFA intake.

Inclusion of Cocoa Bean Shell in the Diet of Dairy Goats: Effects on Milk Production Performance and Milk Fatty Acid Profile

The use of agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition is a promising strategy to reduce the food-feed competition, the diet cost at farm level and the environmental impact of animal-derived food production. In this study, the suitability of cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the cocoa industry, as a feed ingredient in the diet of dairy goats was evaluated, with a focus on the related implications on feed intake, milk yield, milk main constituents, and fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat. Twenty-two Camosciata delle Alpi goats were divided into two balanced groups. All the goats were fed mixed hay ad libitum. The control group (CTRL; n = 11) also received 1.20 kg/head × day of a commercial concentrate, while in the experimental group (CBS; n = 11) 200 g of the CTRL concentrate were replaced by the same amount of pelleted CBS. The total dry matter intake of the goats was reduced by the dietary inclusion of CBS (P ≤ 0.01). The milk yield, as well as the milk fat, protein, and casein contents and yields were unaffected by the treatment. Milk from the CBS-fed goats showed decreased urea content when compared to the CTRL group (P ≤ 0.001). Milk from the CBS group of goats also showed increased concentrations of total branched-chain FA (both iso and anteiso forms; P ≤ 0.001) and total monounsaturated FA (P ≤ 0.05), as well as a decreased ∑ n6/∑ n3 FA ratio (P ≤ 0.05). De novo saturated FA, total polyunsaturated FA, total conjugated linoleic acids, and the majority of ruminal biohydrogenation intermediates remained unaffected by the dietary treatment. These results suggest that CBS can be strategically used as an alternative non-conventional raw material in diets intended for lactating goats, with no detrimental effects on their milk production performance. The use of CBS in goat nutrition may be hindered by the presence of theobromine, a toxic alkaloid. Special attention is needed by nutritionists to avoid exceeding the theobromine limits imposed by the current legislation. Detheobromination treatments are also suggested in literature to prevent toxic phenomena.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Prevent Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy in Children.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) accounts for a large number of deaths in children with epilepsy, causing considerable concerns in patients and their families.1–3 Although specific causes of SUDEP in children remain unknown, children with uncontrolled epilepsy or frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures are at a high risk for SUDEP.3 Furthermore, the most common mechanisms of SUDEP in children are related to cardiac and respiratory abnormalities during and between seizures.2,3 Even considering that the best way to prevent SUDEP in childhood is still elusive, some procedures have been proposed, including education, pharmacologic therapy, surgical treatment, and dietary modifications, to minimize the occurrence of tragic SUDEP events.1–5 With these considerations in mind, we enjoyed reading the excellent review article by Wicker and Cole,6 published in your esteemed journal. Elegantly, the authors discussed the current knowledge and understanding of SUDEP in children and adolescents. Although we agree with the authors' positioning to further understand the etiology and risk factors of SUDEP,6 we want to highlight that other actions than medical and surgical therapies may be useful to minimize SUDEP occurrence.4,5,7 In this way, omega-3 fatty acid (omega-3 FA) supplementation and regular fish consumption have increasingly attracted the attention of neuroscientists.4,5,7,8Historically, one of the first reports of fish consumption as a medical therapy is described in the Old Testament book of Tobias, “Then the angel said to him: Take out the entrails of the fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee; for these are necessary for useful medicines.”7,9,10 Actually, it has been clearly shown that omega-3 FAs promote beneficial effects to the health system and several human diseases7,11,12 Concerning epilepsy per se, there are robust translational studies highlighting the importance of the recommended levels of fish consumption or omega-3 FA supplementation in order to minimize the frequency of seizures in adult and children with epilepsy and, especially, to reduce the occurrence of SUDEP.4,8,13 In brief, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 FAs are recognized as contributing to reduce the epilepsy risk and severity.4,8,13–15 Additionally, emerging research indicates that omega-3 FAs may improve children's health and brain development.16–18 Importantly, because there is no established adequate dose of omega-3 FAs in children, scientists from multiple countries have made statements concerning the recommended intake of omega-3 FAs for young children.11,16–18 For example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends a weekly intake of less than 60 g of fish, always taking into account the effects of water pollutants and other chemicals on fish.16,18 In parallel, the World Health Organization recommends that infants start receiving 450 mg/day per 10 kg of body weight of omega-3 FAs, whereas the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids opts for 350 to 750 mg/day per 10 kg of body weight.16,18Overall, which lessons did we learn? Firstly, epilepsy in children is a multicausal and systemic condition. Secondly, the risk of a child dying from SUDEP is now widely recognized. Third, omega-3 FAs are crucial for children's health. Finally, the excellent article discussed here6 should stimulate translational research to explore the potential benefits of omega-3 FAs for children with epilepsy.

First report of microalgae &lt;em&gt;Rhexinema paucicellulare&lt;/em&gt; (Ulvophyceae) in Mauritius and its biochemical evaluation as a source of fatty acids

Mauritius is a tropical island with a very rich biodiversity of endemic organisms with an unexplored pool of microalgae, especially in the Ulvophyceae class. From freshwater sources, an isolate was characterised using morphological traits and 18S rDNA region. It was determined to be Rhexinema paucicellulare and was further evaluated for its biochemical content against commercially available Spirulina sp. This study evaluates the lipids content and offers a first report on the carbohydrate and protein contents of this species. The biochemical profile of Spirulina sp. differed significantly from R. paucicellulare with respect to carbohydrate (17.36% vs. 20.31%); protein (45.09% vs. 25.71%) and lipids (5.86% vs. 13.88%). Further exploration of the fatty acids profile through GC analysis revealed high presence of alpha-linolenic acid at 26.48% and linoleic acid at 6.31%. The presence of important omega-3 FA was evidenced through GC/MS analysis with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which could make this isolate a potential candidate in the field of aquaculture.

Maternal and Neonatal Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Risk of Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Premature Infants.

The N3 and N6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are essential for proper neurodevelopment in early life. These fatty acids are passed from mother to infant via the placenta, accreting into fetal tissues such as brain and adipose tissue. Placental transfer of LCPUFA is highest in the final trimester, but this transfer is abruptly severed with premature birth. As such, efforts have been made to supplement the post-natal feed of premature infants with LCPUFA to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes. This narrative review analyzes the current body of evidence pertinent to neurodevelopmental outcomes after LCPUFA supplementation in prematurely born infants, which was identified via the reference lists of systematic and narrative reviews and PubMed search engine results. This review finds that, while the evidence is weakened by heterogeneity, it may be seen that feed comprising 0.3% DHA and 0.6% AA is associated with more positive neurodevelopmental outcomes than LCPUFA-deplete feed. While no new RCTs have been performed since the most recent Cochrane meta-analysis in 2016, this narrative review provides a wider commentary; the wider effects of LCPUFA supplementation in prematurely born infants, the physiology of LCPUFA accretion into preterm tissues, and the physiological effects of LCPUFA that affect neurodevelopment. We also discuss the roles of maternal LCPUFA status as a modifiable factor affecting the risk of preterm birth and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes. To better understand the role of LCPUFAs in infant neurodevelopment, future study designs must consider absolute and relative availabilities of all LCPUFA species and incorporate the LCPUFA status of both mother and infant in pre- and postnatal periods.

Seal meat enzymatic hydrolysates and its digests: A comparison on protein and minerals profiles

Seal meat is of high nutritive value but currently a by-product and waste from seal oil processing. Seal meat hydrolysates were generated from alcalase catalysis and were subjected to a soft dynamic digestion system to study their nutritional value and the health benefits. The total amino acid content was determined as 568.54 and 384.65 mg/g for seal meat hydrolysates and its intestinal digests, respectively, using UPLC, and both of the samples were rich in essential amino acids such as Leu and Lys. There were no harmful minerals observed by ICP-MS analyses. Both the gastric and intestinal digests revealed nutritive minerals, i.e., Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn, among which the contents of Fe were 548 and 602 mg/kg, respectively, higher than common meat products. The absorbable Fe2+ ions content remained almost the same during the gastric and intestinal digestion, while the content of undesirable Fe3+ ions declined drastically in intestinal digests. The change of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions was probably due to the antioxidant activities of seal meat hydrolysates observed via scavenging of DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. This study provides knowledge on seal meat hydrolysates as healthy food supplement.

Building a Foundation for Precision Onco-Nutrition: Docosahexaenoic Acid and Breast Cancer.

Simple SummaryPrecision onco-nutrition (PON) is the use of specific nutrients and dietary factors to enhance cancer treatment efficacy and to improve the prognosis for long-term survival. PON requires integration of an understanding of nutrient metabolism with knowledge of the signaling pathways characteristic of each molecular subtype of cancer which can be targeted to improve treatment and control efficacies. Herein we report differences among n-3 fatty acids on the growth and survival of established breast cancer cell lines. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is shown to have greater anticancer activity than eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Moreover, we show that a penultimate metabolite of one pathway by which DHA is metabolized inhibited the growth of common molecular subtypes of breast cancer via differential effects on identified canonical signaling pathways and the functions within the cell that they regulate. These findings provide a knowledge base for juxtaposing molecular subtype targeted treatment strategies with the adjuvant use of specific n-3 fatty acid metabolites as an example of precision onco-nutrition for the management and control of breast cancer.In vivo evidence of heterogeneous effects of n-3 fatty acids (N3FA) on cell signaling pathways associated with the reduced growth of breast cancer has been reported and is consistent with the expectation that N3FA will not exert uniform effects on all molecular subtypes of the disease. Similarly, available evidence indicates that many metabolites of N3FA are synthesized by mammalian cells and that they exert metabolite-specific biological activities. To begin to unravel the complex relationships among molecular subtypes and effects exerted by specific N3FA metabolites on those pathways, proof-of-concept experiments were conducted using cell lines representative of common molecular subtypes of human breast cancer. N3FA differed in anticancer activity with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) having greater anticancer activity than eicosapentaenoic acid. 4-oxo-docosahexaenoic (4-oxo-DHA), a penultimate metabolite of 5-lipoxygenase mediated DHA metabolism, induced dose-dependent inhibition of cell number accumulation with apoptosis as a primary effector mechanism. Interrogation of protein expression data using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) bioinformatics platform indicated that 4-oxo-DHA differentially impacted six canonical pathways and the cellular functions they regulate across common molecular subtypes of breast cancer. This included the endocannabinoid pathway for cancer inhibition that has not been previously reported. These findings provide a rationale for juxtaposing molecular subtype targeted treatment strategies with the adjuvant use of specific N3FA metabolites as an example of precision onco-nutrition (PON) for the management and control of breast cancer.

First evaluation of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) in dolphins

Accurate diet estimation of marine mammals is fundamental to investigate their ecological roles in marine habitats, but it remains a pervasive challenge to researchers due to the constraints associated with conventional methods based on stomach contents or feces analysis, which are imprecise, limited to last meal and often biased. Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA), an emerging method for diet estimations, has been demonstrated to be reliable in reconstructing long-term diets of many marine mammal predators; however, its application has not been seriously evaluated in dolphins. To this end, we compared the QFASA estimates obtained using 8 pre-existing calibration coefficient sets, 3 fatty acid subsets, and 3 prey library subsets to the true diet of a captive Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) that was fed a long-term diet of mostly gizzard shad (Clupanodon thrissa) with smaller proportions of Japanese seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus), pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), roughscale tonguesole (Cynoglossus lida), and Chinese herring (Ilisha elongate). The diet of the dolphin was best reconstructed using the calibration coefficients derived from captive feeding trials of American mink (Mustela vison) that were fed herring with the “main” fatty acid subset; this process correctly identified gizzard shad as the main prey source of the dolphin with the highest actual diet proportions and lowest predator signature proportions outside the range of the mean prey proportions. In addition, high accuracy and consistency were acquired in the diet estimations obtained using the calibration coefficients derived from minks fed herring and herring plus seal oil even though pseudo-prey were included in our model, revealing the high robustness and reliability of QFASA in reconstructing the dolphin diet. We recommend caution in selecting fatty acid subsets when using fatty acid signatures derived from different studies. Overall, QFASA offers a promising tool to quantify the long-term diets of humpback dolphins and other odontocetes.

Evaluation of Borage (Borago officinalis L.) Genotypes for Nutraceutical Value Based on Leaves Fatty Acids Composition.

Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a traditional vegetable grown and consumed in some Spanish regions. The objective of this study was to determine the variability and evolution of fatty acid composition in a borage germplasm collection formed by wild types, breeding lines, commercial varieties, and landraces. Fatty acids were analysed in petioles, the commonly edible part of the leaves, and the leaf blades, the by-product of the borage industry, in two growth stages: at the optimal harvest period (120 days after sowing) and at the end of the harvest period (150 days after sowing). The results showed that for each of the eight fatty acids identified, there were significant differences among the twelve borage genotypes depending on the developmental plant stage at sampling date and the part of the leaf analysed, the interaction effect also being statistically significant. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids identified were: linoleic acid (18:2 n6, LA), α-linolenic acid (18:3 n3, ALA), γ-linolenic acid (18:3 n6, GLA), and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4, n-3), account for approximately 70% of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Blue-flowered genotypes differ from white-flowered genotypes by their high content of ALA and SDA, which can be exploited in borage breeding programs. Petioles from young plants present higher n6 fatty acids, while older plants produce a great amount of n3 fatty acids. Besides, the higher content of ALA in the leaf blades gives them a good dietary potential. All these fatty acids, with multiple health benefits, support the nutraceutical interest of borage leaves (both petioles and leaf blades) for human consumption, animal feeding, medicine, and pharmacy.

Body weight, organ development and jejunal histomorphology in broiler breeder pullets fed n-3 fatty acids enriched diets from hatch through to 22 weeks of age

Dietary long chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) may be beneficial to broiler breeder (BB) development. Therefore, the effects of feeding sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) from hatch through to 22 weeks of age (woa) on growth, organ weight, and jejunal histomorphology were investigated. A total of 588-day-old Ross × Ross 708 BB were reared on one of 3 diets: 1) control, corn-soybean meal diet, 2) Control + 1% microalgae (DMA, Aurantichytrium limacinum), as a source of DHA and 3) Control + 2.50% co-extruded full fat flaxseed and pulse mixture (FFF, 1:1 wt/wt), as a source of ALA. Diets DMA and FFF had similar total n-3 and n-6: n-3 ratio. Diets were allocated to floor pens (28 birds/pen) to give 9 or 6 replicates per diet for control or DMA and FFF, respectively and fed according to breeder curve in 3 phases: starter (0–4 woa), grower (5–19 woa), and pre-breeder (20–22 woa). Individual body weight (BW) was taken weekly and 6 birds/pen necropsied at 5 and 12 woa for gastrointestinal, spleen, bursa, and liver weight and samples for jejunal histomorphology. There was no (P > 0.05) diet effect on growth by 20 woa. With exception of 5 woa, pullets fed DMA showed (P < 0.001) lower BW coefficient of variation (C.V.) than pullets fed control between 2 and 7 woa. However, pullets fed DMA had higher BW CV at 20 woa than birds fed either control or FFF. At 5 woa, birds fed DMA had taller (P ≤ 0.01) villi and deeper crypt than birds fed either control or FFF but VH or CD were similar (P > 0.05) between CON and FFF pullets. At 12 woa, birds fed FFF had taller VH than birds fed control diet but similar (P > 0.05) to that of birds fed DMA. Therefore, different responses to sources of omega-3 FA may implicate other components, however, the BW uniformity and intestinal histomorphology responses suggested benefits of feeding omega-3 FA during rearing.

Cold Exposure Affects Lipid Metabolism, Fatty Acids Composition and Transcription in Pig Skeletal Muscle.

Cold exposure promotes glucose oxidation and modulates the lipid metabolism in adipose tissue, but it is still not fully clear whether cold exposure could affect meat quality and fatty acid metabolism in skeletal muscle of pig in vivo. Here, we kept finishing pigs under cold or room temperature overnight and determined the effects of cold exposure on meat quality, fatty acids composition and transcriptional changes in skeletal muscle of pigs. We found that cold exposure significantly reduced the meat colour24 h and pH24 h, without affecting carcass characteristics and other meat quality traits. Considerable changes were found in the proportions of individual fatty acids and the total content of saturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acid and n3-fatty acids. RNA-seq results showed upregulated fatty acid biosynthesis genes and downregulated mitochondrial beta-oxidation genes. The lipid metabolism in cold-treated longissimus dorsi muscle might be regulated by functions of the lipoprotein particle, the extracellular matrix, and the PPAR signaling pathways. Our study revealed the potential of cold exposure to regulate the lipid metabolism and fatty acid composition in skeletal muscle of farmed animals.

Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of Anti-inflammatory Agents on Major Depressive Disorder: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: With the growing importance of research about the association between neuroinflammation and major depressive disorder (MDD), anti-inflammatory agents have been used as a new antidepressant therapy in clinical practice. We conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) with up-to-date evidence to compare different anti-inflammatory agents for improving the treatment of MDD patients. Methods: To identify eligible randomized clinical trials, four databases (i.e, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed and Embase) were searched from inception date to May 31, 2020. Anti-inflammatory agents were defined as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, cytokine inhibitors, statins, pioglitazone, minocycline, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and omega-3 fatty acid (Omega-3 FA). The main outcomes of this NMA were efficacy, acceptability and remission rate. Risk ratio (RR) was adopted for dichotomous outcomes, and the confidence interval (CI) was set at 95%. STATA 14.0 and R 3.6.3 were used to conduct the NMA. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020182531). Results: A total of 39 studies, involving 2871 participants, were included in quantitative data synthesis. For efficacy, NSAIDs (RR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.26-0.73) and pioglitazone (RR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.20-0.84) were more favorable than placebo. With respect to acceptability, NSAIDs were more acceptable than placebo (RR=0.89, 95%CI: 0.77-0.99) and minocycline (RR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.49). For remission, NSAIDs were more superior than placebo (RR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.27-0.79) and Omega-3 FA (RR=2.01, 95%CI: 1.09-3.90), while NACs were more favorable than placebo (RR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.13-0.99). Based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value, corticosteroids (0.86) were the best anti-inflammatory agent for MDD patients in terms of efficacy, but the head-to-head comparisons for the efficacy of glucocorticoids and other agents were not statistically significant. As for acceptability, NSAIDs (0.81) were much better than other anti-inflammatory agents. Besides, NAC (0.80) was the best anti-inflammatory agent in the terms of remission. Conclusions: In summary, we found that corticosteroids were more superior than other agents in terms of efficacy according to the SUCRA value. However, this result must be interpreted with caution because the head-to-head comparisons for the efficacy of glucocorticoids and other agents did not reach statistical significance. NSAIDs were recommended for acceptability and NAC for remission rate.

Alternative and Unconventional Feeds in Dairy Diets and Their Effect on Fatty Acid Profile and Health Properties of Milk Fat.

Simple SummaryMilk fat is an important compound in human nutrition. From a nutritional point of view, the production of milk with a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially of those from the n3 group, is desirable because consumption of a diet with a lower n6/n3 ratio is considered to be beneficial for humans. The most effective way to achieve this goal is via dietary manipulations in ruminants. In addition to the feedstuffs commonly used in dairy animal nutrition, there are some alternative or unconventional feedstuffs that are often used for other purposes, e.g., for the reduction of methane production in the rumen. However, such feedstuffs can also alter the fatty acid profile of milk, and thus they can have an impact on the health properties of milk fat.Milk fat is an important nutritional compound in the human diet. From the health point of view, some fatty acids (FAs), particularly long-chain PUFAs such as EPA and DHA, have been at the forefront of interest due to their antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties, which play a positive role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as well as linoleic and γ-linolenic acids, which play an important role in CVD treatment as essential components of phospholipids in the mitochondria of cell membranes. Thus, the modification of the FA profile—especially an increase in the concentration of polyunsaturated FAs and n-3 FAs in bovine milk fat—is desirable. The most effective way to achieve this goal is via dietary manipulations. The effects of various strategies in dairy nutrition have been thoroughly investigated; however, there are some alternative or unconventional feedstuffs that are often used for purposes other than basic feeding or modifying the fatty acid profiles of milk, such as tanniferous plants, herbs and spices, and algae. The use of these foods in dairy diets and their effects on milk fatty acid profile are reviewed in this article. The contents of selected individual FAs (atherogenic, rumenic, linoleic, α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids) and their combinations; the contents of n3 and n6 FAs; n6/n3 ratios; and atherogenic, health-promoting and S/P indices were used as criteria for assessing the effect of these feeds on the health properties of milk fat.

Crossbreed and feed allowance affect final meat and eating quality of pigs from a free-range system

This study compared the meat and eating quality from fattening pigs raised in a free-range system involving two cross-breeds: Duroc x (Landrace x Yorkshire) (DYL); and Tamworth x (Landrace x Yorkshire) (TYL) and two feeding strategies (semi-ad libitum (NORM) or restrictive feeding of concentrate (80-50% of semi-ad libitum; RES)). Sixteen female pigs from each cross-breed were strip-grazing diverse pasture with a grass-clover mixture and forage herbs (338 m2/pig) and root chicory (34 m2/pig) from the age of 88 days and an average live weight of 32.2 kg (SD=1.9), and were allocated to either the NORM or RES feeding strategy after a three-week training and adaptation period. The NORM pigs were slaughtered after 68 days and RES pigs were slaughtered after 90 days of experimental feeding, in order to allow them to obtain the same slaughter weight as NORM within each cross-breed. Meat and eating quality was determined on the M. longissimus lumborum (LL) and the M. biceps femoris (BF) removed twenty-two hours post mortem. The DYL were superior to the TYL crossbreed when it came to carcass weight (84.6 vs. 70.3 kg) and lean percentage (63.6 vs. 54.5%) no matter the feeding strategy. The RES feeding strategy caused smaller carcasses (8.7%) with higher lean percentage (+1.5%). The BF was tenderer from the DYL crossbreed, whereas the LL from the TYL crossbreed had less acid and metal but sweeter flavor. The restricted feeding strategy had a negative impact on the texture of specifically the loin both measured as Warner Bratzler shear force (+8 N, 4 days post mortem) and as tenderness evaluated by a sensory panel, whereas the flavor of the meat was unaffected. The restricted feeding caused a change towards more poly-unsaturated fatty acids and n3 fatty acids and a lower ratio of n6/n3 fatty acids in the meat, which is favorable from a human nutrition point of view.

Cannabis Seed Oil Alleviates Experimental Atherosclerosis by Ameliorating Vascular Inflammation in Apolipoprotein-E-Deficient Mice.

In recent decades, epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies have demonstrated that a diet with antioxidant or anti-inflammatory function plays a central role in the prevention of atherosclerosis (AS). The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Cannabis seed oil (CO) administration on in vitro antioxidant capacity as well as blood lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory response, and endothelial cell integrity. Female ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet and administrated with CO or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and seal oil by gavage for 8 weeks. The results show that CO administration reduced the levels of serum triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at week 6. Additionally, a decrease in serum tumor necrosis factor α and nitric oxide was also observed. Moreover, results from CD31 staining and scanning electron microscopy revealed that CO treatment alleviated the endothelial cell damage and lipid deposition induced by a high-cholesterol diet. The ratio of lesion area to the total aorta area was 19.57% for the CO group, which was lower than the PBS control group (24.67%). Collectively, CO exerted anti-atherosclerotic effects by modulating serum lipid profiles and inflammatory responses and improving endothelial cell integrity and arterial lipid deposition. The results provide a promising preventive strategy for the early progression of AS.

Data Analysis and Discussion on the Reliability of the Control Principle of a Sealed Crude Oil Pipeline

The current control principles of long-distance crude oil pipeline production and operation are all obtained by theory in the design stage, and lack of on-site actual operation verification. Based on the pigging data of the pipeline put into production in 2017, the simulation software SPS was used to establish the model. Based on the operating data of the pipeline in recent years, the control principles in the preliminary design are checked one by one to verify the reliability of the control principles and propose corresponding improvement suggestions for existing defects. The research results show that the initial control principle of the pipeline has two actual operation defects. One is the low setting value of the water hammer pressure relief valve in the BS station, and the second is the advance protection program error under the failure condition of the MD station; The simulation obtains the set value of the pressure relief limit of each station entry and exit under the principle of advanced protection, and the set value can be adjusted appropriately according to the pressure of the entry and exit pipelines of each station; the response time of each step of the control principle under different fault conditions is simulated, Provide optimization suggestions for some control principles. The above research results can minimize the failure results produced by the failure conditions under the premise of ensuring the effective control principle.