Nutritional Regulation Research Articles

Lipidomics Reveals Dietary Alpha Linolenic Acid Facilitates Metabolism Related to Division of Labor in Honeybee Workers

The division of labor among honeybee workers contributes to efficient pollination activities. Lipids play a crucial role in behavioral regulation, with pollen serving as a primary source of these lipids. However, the regulatory effect of pollen lipids on the division of labor of honeybee workers remains to be studied. In this study, an in-depth lipidomic analysis based on HPLC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-IM-QTOF-MS was applied. We conducted the first comprehensive lipidomic profiling of the abdomen, brain, and intestine of emerging, nursing, and foraging bees, as well as pollen, thereby establishing a lipid library comprising 646 lipid species. The lipid composition of pollen was found to exhibit characteristics similar to those of honeybee workers, with alpha linolenic acid (ALA) validated as a key labor characteristic lipid. Moderate dietary ALA supplementation reshaped lipid levels and facilitated metabolism related to the labor of division. These findings advance the field of lipidomic analysis in honeybee workers, revealing a novel behavioral regulator and extending the understanding of the nutritional regulation of ALA in the division of labor among honeybee workers.

Vagotomy suppresses food intake by increasing GLP-1 secretion via the M3 AChR-AMPKα pathway in mice.

The gut-brain axis (GBA) is involved in the modulation of multiple physiological activities, and the vagus nerve plays an important role in this process. However, the association between vagus nerve function and nutritional regulation remains unclear. Here, we explored changes in the nutritional status of mice after vagotomy and investigated the underlying mechanisms responsible for these changes. We performed vagotomies in mice and verified nerve resection using immunofluorescence staining. We then observed the food intake and body weight of the mice and tested nutritional and inflammation-related markers using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The role of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in the GBA was determined using qRT-PCR and ELISA kits. Western blot and ELISA kits were used to explore the underlying mechanisms. After vagotomy, the mice experienced a deterioration in their nutritional status, which manifested as a significant reduction in body weight and food intake. The expression of the proglucagon gene (GCG), which encodes GLP-1, significantly increased after vagotomy. Mechanistically, acetylcholine (ACh) reversed the HG (high glucose) -induced elevation of GLP-1 secretion. ACh upregulated AMPKα phosphorylation, thereby reducing GLP-1 secretion. Moreover, the level of AMPKα phosphorylation was enhanced by ACh via M3AChR. ACh released by the vagus nerve counteracts the anorectic effects of GLP-1 under normal physiological conditions. Vagotomy blocks this feedback, resulting in a loss of food intake and body weight in mice.

Dynamic development of gut microbiota and metabolism during and after weaning of kittens

BackgroundAs the pet population grows, there is increasing attention on the health and well-being of companion animals. Weaning, a common challenge for young mammals, often leads to issues such as diarrhea, growth retardation, and in severe cases, even mortality. However, the specific changes in gut microbiota and metabolites in kittens following weaning remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the dynamic changes in the gut microbiota, serum metabolism, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of kittens at various time points: days 0, 4, and 30 post-weaning.ResultsSignificant changes in the immune response and gut microbiota were observed in kittens following weaning. Specifically, IgM levels increased significantly (P < 0.01, n = 20), while IgA and IgG levels showed a sustained elevation. Weaning also disrupted the intestinal microbiota, leading to notable changes in serum metabolism. On day 4 post-weaning, there was a decrease in beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroides vulgatus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Anaerostipes caccae, and Butyricico-ccaceae. However, by day 30, beneficial bacteria including Candidatus Arthro-mitus, Holdemanella, and Bifidobacterium had increased (P < 0.05, n = 20). Serum metabolites showed clear separation across time points, with day 0 and day 4 exhibiting similar patterns. A total of 45 significantly altered metabolites (P < 0.05, n = 20) were identified, primarily related to vitamins, steroids, peptides, organic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in eight metabolic pathways, with key changes in arginine metabolism and biosynthesis. Additionally, bacteria such as Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides stercoris, Leuconostoc citreum, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis were positively correlated with serum metabolic changes, emphasizing the link between gut microbiota and systemic metabolism (P < 0.05, n = 20).ConclusionOur study demonstrated that the composition and function of intestinal microorganisms as well as serum metabolic profiles of weaned kittens presented dynamic changes. These findings not only deepen our understanding of the effects of weaning on kitten health, but also provide valuable insights into post-weaning nutritional regulation strategies for kittens.

High Nutritional Conditions Influence Feeding Plasticity in Pristionchus pacificus and Render Worms Non-Predatory.

Developmental plasticity, the ability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes in response to environmental conditions, has been subject to intense studies in the last four decades. The self-fertilising nematode Pristionchus pacificus has been developed as a genetic model system for studying developmental plasticity due to its mouth-form polyphenism that results in alternative feeding strategies with a facultative predatory and non-predatory mouth form. Many studies linked molecular aspects of the regulation of mouth-form polyphenism with investigations of its evolutionary and ecological significance. Also, several environmental factors influencing P. pacificus feeding structure expression were identified including temperature, culture condition and population density. However, the nutritional plasticity of the mouth form has never been properly investigated although polyphenisms are known to be influenced by changes in nutritional conditions. For instance, studies in eusocial insects and scarab beetles have provided significant mechanistic insights into the nutritional regulation of polyphenisms but also other forms of plasticity. Here, we study the influence of nutrition on mouth-form polyphenism in P. pacificus through experiments with monosaccharide and fatty acid supplementation. We show that in particular glucose supplementation renders worms non-predatory. Subsequent transcriptomic and mutant analyses indicate that de novo fatty acid synthesis and peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathways play an important role in the mediation of this plastic response. Finally, the analysis of fitness consequences through fecundity counts suggests that non-predatory animals have an advantage over predatory animals grown in the glucose-supplemented condition.

Artificial intelligence and food flavor: How AI models are shaping the future and revolutionary technologies for flavor food development.

The food flavor science, traditionally reliant on experimental methods, is now entering a promising era with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). By integrating existing technologies with AI, researchers can explore and develop new flavor substances in a digital environment, saving time and resources. More and more research will use AI and big data to enhance product flavor, improve product quality, meet consumer needs, and drive the industry toward a smarter and more sustainable future. In this review, we elaborate on the mechanisms of flavor recognition and their potential impact on nutritional regulation. With the increase of data accumulation and the development of internet information technology, food flavor databases and food ingredient databases have made great progress. These databases provide detailed information on the nutritional content, flavor molecules, and chemical properties of various food compounds, providing valuable data support for the rapid evaluation of flavor components and the construction of screening technology. With the popularization of AI in various fields, the field of food flavor has also ushered in new development opportunities. This review explores the mechanisms of flavor recognition and the role of AI in enhancing food flavor analysis through high-throughput omics data and screening technologies. AI algorithms offer a pathway to scientifically improve product formulations, thereby enhancing flavor and customized meals. Furthermore, it discusses the safety challenges of integrating AI into the food flavor industry.

Non-cell-autonomous regulation of mTORC2 by Hedgehog signaling maintains lipid homeostasis.

Organisms allocate energetic resources between essential cellular processes to maintain homeostasis and, in turn, maximize fitness. The nutritional regulators of energy homeostasis have been studied in detail; however, how developmental signals might impinge on these pathways to govern metabolism is poorly understood. Here, we identify a non-canonical role for Hedgehog (Hh), a classic regulator of development, in maintaining intestinal lipid homeostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate, using C.elegans and mouse hepatocytes, that Hh metabolic regulation does not occur through the canonical Hh transcription factor TRA-1/GLI, but rather via non-canonical signaling that engages mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2). Hh mutants display impaired lipid homeostasis, decreased growth, and upregulation of autophagy factors, mimicking loss of mTORC2. Additionally, we find that Hh inhibits p38 MAPK signaling in parallel to mTORC2 activation to modulate lipid homeostasis. Our findings reveal a non-canonical role for Hh signaling in lipid metabolism via regulation of core homeostatic pathways.

Linking phylogenetic niche conservatism in bacterial communities in sorghum root compartments revealed by the Hongyingzi cultivar.

The root system harbours complex bacterial communities, which are critical for plant growth and health. Significant differences exist between bacterial communities in the root compartments; however, limited reports have explored their phylogenetic composition and niche conservatism in the root system of sorghum. We used the sorghum Hongyingzi cultivar as test plant, and applied 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and various statistical approaches. Phylogenetic composition of bacterial communities in root compartments were primarily driven by closely related species with similar environmental adaptations. We also found evidence of phylogenetic niche conservatism in bacterial communities for edaphic factors in the various root compartments, with pH and available N playing essential roles in shaping community composition. Environmental threshold analysis revealed threshold ranges of dominant taxa for pH and available N, indicating wider adaptive thresholds for more abundant taxa. Reconstruction of ancestral states suggested evolutionary changes in adaptability of certain bacterial taxa to edaphic factors, suggesting a shift towards slightly acidic, high N environments and reflecting the prolonged mutual interaction between bacteria and plants in cultivated soils. These findings enhance our understanding of environmental responses and evolutionary dynamics of root-associated microbiota in young sorghum plants and provide novel insights into ecological adaptations, shedding light on their responses to environmental factors. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the ecological dynamics of root-associated microbiota and offers analytical pathways for exploring the nutritional regulation of root microbiota.

Insulin and leptin acutely modulate the energy metabolism of primary hypothalamic and cortical astrocytes.

Astrocytes constitute a heterogeneous cell population within the brain, contributing crucially to brain homeostasis and playing an important role in overall brain function. Their function and metabolism are not only regulated by local signals, for example, from nearby neurons, but also by long-range signals such as hormones. Thus, two prominent hormones primarily known for regulating the energy balance of the whole organism, insulin, and leptin, have been reported to also impact astrocytes within the brain. In this study, we investigated the acute regulation of astrocytic metabolism by these hormones in cultured astrocytes prepared from the mouse cortex and hypothalamus, a pivotal region in the context of nutritional regulation. Utilizing genetically encoded, fluorescent nanosensors, the cytosolic concentrations of glucose, lactate, and ATP, along with glycolytic rate and the NADH/NAD+ redox state were measured. Under basal conditions, differences between the two populations of astrocytes were observed for glucose and lactate concentrations as well as the glycolytic rate. Additionally, astrocytic metabolism responded to insulin and leptin in both brain regions, with some unique characteristics for each cell population. Finally, both hormones influenced how cells responded to elevated extracellular levels of potassium ions, a common indicator of neuronal activity. In summary, our study provides evidence that insulin and leptin acutely regulate astrocytic metabolism within minutes. Additionally, while astrocytes from the hypothalamus and cortex share similarities in their metabolism, they also exhibit distinct properties, further underscoring the growing recognition of astrocyte heterogeneity.

Effects of Medium- and Short-Chain Fatty Acids on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gut Microbiota and Immune Function in Weaned Piglets

The aim of this study was to investigate the combination effects of α-glycerol monolaurate (GML) and glyceryl tributyrate (TB) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbiota, and immune function in weaned piglets. A total of 120 weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.88 kg were randomly allocated to one of the three dietary treatments: (1) CON: a basal diet; (2) 0.1%: a basal diet with 0.1% MSCFA (GML/TB = 1:1); (3) 0.2%: a basal diet with 0.2% MSCFA (GML/TB = 1:1). The experiment lasted 28 days. There were no differences on average daily growth (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Supplementation with 0.1% MSCFA increased apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein (CP) and gross energy (GE, p &lt; 0.05) on d 14 and increased GE (p &lt; 0.05) on d 28 compared with the CON group. The ATTD of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) of piglets supplemented with 0.1% MSCFA was higher (p &lt; 0.05). Compared with the CON group, supplementation with 0.1% MSCFA increased immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentration, decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6) content (p &lt; 0.05) on d 14 and decreased malonaldehyde (MDA), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-6 concentrations (p &lt; 0.05) on d 28. Supplementation with 0.1% MSCFA increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) concentration (p &lt; 0.05), decreased GSH-Px, MDA content (p &lt; 0.05) in jejunum compared with the CON group. Moreover, supplementation with MSCFA increased the activity of duodenal lipase (p &lt; 0.05) and the abundance of firmicutes and decreased the abundance of proteobacteria compared with the CON group. Overall, supplementation with MSCFA can improve nutrient digestibility, enhance immunity and antioxidant capacity, and improve the intestinal health of piglets. The combined use of MSCFA is a nutrition regulation strategy worthy of further exploration in modern animal husbandry.

A Hybrid Food Recommendation System Based on MOEA/D Focusing on the Problem of Food Nutritional Balance and Symmetry

With the improvement of people’s living standards, the issue of dietary health has received extensive attention. In order to simultaneously meet people’s demands for dietary preferences and nutritional balance, we have conducted research on the issue of personalized food recommendations. For this purpose, we have proposed a hybrid food recommendation model, which can provide users with scientific, reasonable, and personalized dietary advice. Firstly, the collaborative filtering (CF) algorithm is adopted to recommend foods to users; then, the improved Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm Based on Decomposition (MOEA/D) is used to adjust the nutritional balance and symmetry of the recommended foods. In view of the existing problems in the current nutritional balance algorithm, such as slow convergence speed and insufficient local search ability, the autonomous optimization (AO) adjustment strategy, the self-adaptive adjustment strategy, and the two-sided mirror principle to optimize boundary strategy are introduced in the MOEA/D. According to the characteristics of the food nutrition regulation problem, an adaptive food regulation (AFR) adjustment strategy is designed to achieve more accurate nutritional regulation. Based on the above improvements, a food nutritional recommendation algorithm based on MOEA/D (FNR-MOEA/D) is proposed. Experiments show that compared with MOPSO, MOABC, and RVEA, FNR-MOEA/D performs more superiorly in solving the problem of nutritional balance in food recommendation.

Resveratrol and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid supplementation promotes ileal development and digestive function by altering microbial community abundance and metabolites in Tibetan sheep.

The effects of resveratrol (RES) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) on phenotype, immunity, digestive enzyme activity and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) contents in ileum of Tibetan sheep were investigated. A total of 120 two-month-old Tibetan sheep (15.5 ± 0.14 kg) were randomly allocated to 4 treatments: control group (basal diet), RES group (basal diet +1.5 g RES/d), HMB group (basal diet +1.25 g HMB/d), RES-HMB group (basal diet +1.5 g RES/d + 1.25 g HMB/d). Results indicated that dietary RES and (or) HMB supplementation significantly improved the phenotype (mucosal thickness and villus width), SCFAs concentrations, and digestive enzymes (lipase, cellulase, and α-amylase) (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Brevibacillus, Clostridium sensu stricto 3, and Eubacterium hallii group were increased, while the abundance of Ruminococcus and Mogibacterium were decreased (p < 0.05) in the RES-HMB group. The metabolic profiling indicated an increase in the differential metabolites (DMs) including L-arginine, butanoic acid, D-mannose, and retinol were increased in the RES-HMB group (p < 0.05). In summary, our results suggested that RES and (or) HMB supplementation improved SCFAs concentration by up-regulating the microbial community abundance (Brevibacillus, Clostridium sensu stricto 3, and Eubacterium hallii group) and metabolism (L-arginine, butanoic acid, D-mannose, and retinol), thus contributing to ileal morphology and digestive enzyme activity. These findings may provides a novel reference for the nutritional regulation to improve the production of Tibetan sheep.

Characteristic Muscle Quality Parameters of Male Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Distinguished from Female and Physiological Variations Revealed by Transcriptome Profiling.

Male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are often overlooked because females grow faster. We explored the value of male largemouth bass by comparing muscle nutrition, texture, and transcriptomes between males and females. Females grew faster than males (p < 0.05) because of lipid accumulation. Male fish muscles had higher contents of serine, valine, methionine, arginine, nervonic acid, and α-linolenic acid (p < 0.05), and female fish muscles had higher contents of aspartic acid, glycine, cysteine, leucine, palmitic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid (p < 0.05). Male muscles had a higher concentration of collagen fibers and greater shear force, indicative of a chewier texture. Male muscles had a lighter color, suggesting that they were less susceptible to oxidation and deterioration. Transcriptomic analyses revealed upregulation of lpl, sadb, dgat2, bhmt, tecrb, and hsd3b7, encoding components of amino acid and fatty acid metabolism; and upregulation of akt2, src, and kras, encoding crucial regulators of cellular immunity and homeostasis, in male muscles. Immunity-related pathways, including apoptosis, ErbB signaling, and cellular senescence, were enriched in male fish muscles, indicating heightened immune function. The muscles of male fish have a unique profile and distinctive advantages in terms of nutrition, flavor, texture, and transcriptional regulation.

Alteration in microbes changed the contents of oviposition-deterrent pheromones on the Spodoptera litura egg surface.

Microorganisms symbiotic with insects, whether permanently or temporarily, play a crucial role in the nutrition, development, reproduction, defence, and metamorphosis regulation. In some Lepidoptera, oviposition-deterrent pheromones (ODPs) on egg surface were used by pregnant females to modify the behaviour of conspecifics to avoid excessive competition for limited resources. In this study, we constructed four different Spodoptera litura groups, including, OH, OA, SH, and OA, which either feed on different hosts or grow in different environments. The 16S rDNA libraries of microbes from the egg surface of the four groups were constructed and sequenced. According to alpha and beta diversity indices, the microbes in environments and diets considerably influenced the richness, diversity, and community compositions of the microbiota on egg surfaces. The quantity of the main ODP components and the corresponding oviposition-deterrent activity among four groups were significantly differed among the four groups. The result of this study revealed that altering of microbes in environments or diets considerably changed the contents of ODP and oviposition-deterrent activity. As ODPs impart oviposition-deterrent activity towards closely related species, the findings of this study suggest that we should pay more attention to the role of symbiotic microorganisms in changing the ability of insects, especially sympatric species, to occupy the optimal niche when developing novel pest-control strategies.

Phosphatidylethanolamine exerts anti-inflammatory action by regulating mitochondrial function in macrophages of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a ubiquitous bioactive lipid in cells, which participates in regulating many metabolic processes. Exogenous PE has been reported to play a positive regulatory role in macrophage inflammatory responses. However, the molecular mechanisms of PE in regulating macrophage inflammation are not completely understood. In the present study, transcriptomic analysis of PE-stimulated macrophages of large yellow croaker revealed that differentially expressed genes were mainly active in cellular components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which corresponded to the significant enrichment of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Consistent with this result, PE significantly increased ATP content and protein expression of NDUFB3 (mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I subunit) in macrophages. Meanwhile, transcriptomic data showed that PE treatment downregulated the transcript levels of nlrp3 and upregulated the transcript levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (socs3), suggesting that PE may alleviate macrophage inflammation by interfering with the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Further analysis showed that PE significantly attenuated dietary PA-mediated macrophage inflammation via NLRP3-Caspase-1 invitro and invivo. Given that PE abundance is strongly correlated with mitochondrial function, the present study hypothesized that PE-mediated inflammatory modulation may be attributed to the positive effects on mitochondrial function. As expected, PE significantly ameliorated PA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species production and malondialdehyde content in macrophages, indicating that the improvement of mitochondrial function is an important mechanism involved in the positive effect of PE on PA-induced inflammation. In conclusion, this study elucidates the critical role of mitochondrial function in PE-mediated regulation of inflammation in macrophages, which expands the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of phospholipid metabolism on dietary fatty acid-induced inflammation. This study may provide new intervention targets and nutritional regulation strategies for improving chronic inflammatory diseases.

The Effect of Rumen-Protected Conjugated Linoleic Acid on Milk Composition and Milk Energy Output of Holstein Cows and Its Potential Mechanism.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can regulate fatty acid metabolism and increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids in milk during the nutritional regulation process in dairy cows. However, its effects on milk composition and milk energy output in dairy cows remain unclear. We aimed to investigate whether RP-CLA reduces milk energy output during early lactation while lowering milk fat, as well as whether it affects milk protein synthesis and the potential mechanisms. We examined the milk composition of Holstein fresh cows at different stages by administering RP-CLA for 7 days and analyzing related gene expression in the MAC-T cell line. RP-CLA did not significantly alter milk yield, lactose, or blood ketone levels in early lactation. Starting RP-CLA from day 21 postpartum reduced milk fat by about 26% (3.74% vs 2.78%) on day 28 postpartum, slightly increased milk protein, and improved blood glucose on day 24. No such effects were seen with RP-CLA beginning on day 7 postpartum. RP-CLA supplementation saved 6.45 and 11.43% milk energy output during days 7-14 and 21-28, respectively. We hypothesize that the limited RP-CLA regulation effect during days 7-21 may relate to intense lipid mobilization under negative energy balance. In MAC-T cells under low glucose, t-10, c-12 CLA decreased the expression of SREBP1 and AMPK, while increased CDK1, indicating its role in reducing fat synthesis, easing energy deficiency, promoting cell proliferation, and enhancing protein synthesis. Similarly, under normal glucose, t-10, c-12 CLA suppressed SREBP1 and elevated CDK1 expression, with AMPK reduction only at low doses. Inhibiting milk fat synthesis with an SREBP1 inhibitor slightly upregulated CDK 1 without significantly affecting AMPK. In conclusion, RP-CLA has the potential to alleviate negative energy balance in dairy cows during days 21-35 postpartum. t10, c12 CLA can inhibit milk fat synthesis by reducing the expression of SREBP1 and AMPK in mammary epithelial cells, while increasing the expression of CDK1, thereby improving the cellular energy status and promoting milk protein synthesis. The energy required for the increase in milk protein is not derived from the energy saved by the inhibition of milk fat synthesis by CLA.

Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Explain the Crisping Mechanisms of Broad Bean-Based Crisping Diets on Nile Tilapia (Orechromis niloticus).

Background/Objectives: To investigate the crisping mechanism of broad bean-based crisping diets on Nile Tilapia. Methods: Four crisping diets were designed to feed 360 fish for 90 days, and multiomics analyses were employed. Results: Our results indicated that the designed crisping diets for Nile tilapia can effectively make tilapia muscle crispy. The ingestion of broad bean-based diets induced metabolic reprogramming dominated by glycolytic metabolism inhibition in fish, and metabolic reprogramming is the initiator of muscle structural remodeling. Among these, glucose is the main DAMP to be recognized by cellular PRRs, activating further immune response and oxidative stress and finally resulting in muscle change. Conclusions: Based on our results of multiomics, pck2, and ldh played main roles in crisping molecular mechanisms in driving the initial metabolic reprogram. Moreover, the addition of the crisping package further activated the ErbB signaling pathway and downstream MAPK signaling pathway to strengthen immune response, promoting muscle fiber development and growth. Our study delved into the effects of crisping formula diet on the liver of Nile tilapia at the molecular level, providing theoretical guidance for the nutritional regulation of crispy Nile tilapia.

Regulation of magnesium nutrition on fruit development of wax gourd

Regulation of magnesium nutrition on fruit development of wax gourd

The Regulatory Role of Nutrients in Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Muscle Protein Breakdown (MPB) with Resistance Exercise

With the improvement of living standards nowadays, the body’s health and physique have become a popular topic; the growth, maintenance, and health of muscles are achieved through the key process of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB). This paper discusses the important regulatory roles of macronutrients, amino acids, hormones, micronutrients, and vitamins in MPS and MPB, especially in the context of resistance exercise. Through a large review of the existing literature on the relationships between various nutrients and resistance exercise and muscle, this paper summarizes the complex interactions between all these nutrients and resistance exercise. This paper aims to provide comprehensive insights into the optimization of muscle hypertrophy and reduction of muscle atrophy, including an in-depth discussion of the importance of macronutrient intake during resistance exercise, the important role of amino acids, especially leucine, the associated effects of hormones such as insulin and testosterone, and the best timing and methods for the intake of these nutrients. This review demonstrates the indispensability and complementarity of each nutrient for muscle growth and building, provides practical advice for athletes such as powerlifters and bodybuilders, the declining elderly, and individuals seeking to enhance muscle health, fills existing research gaps, and provides valuable insights into the nutritional regulation of muscle protein metabolism.

Nutritional status and triglyceride-glucose index influence delirium in elderly heart failure patients

Malnutrition and insulin resistance are linked to complications like delirium, yet their impact on elderly heart failure patients remains underexplored. This study investigates how nutritional status and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index influence delirium in this population. We conducted a retrospective study involving patients aged 75 and older with decompensated heart failure. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), and nutritional status was evaluated with the Mini Nutritional Assessment Scale-Short Form (MNA-SF). The TyG index was calculated as: TyG index = ln [triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL) / 2]. The study included 412 patients (mean age 84.30 ± 5.16 years; 56.31% male), with 24.03% experiencing delirium during hospitalization. After adjusting for confounders, a higher TyG index was significantly associated with increased delirium risk (OR = 1.549, 95% CI: 1.102–2.178, P = 0.012), while a higher MNA-SF score correlated with reduced risk (OR = 0.793, 95% CI: 0.662–0.949, P = 0.011). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences in cumulative survival based on nutritional status and TyG index (Log-Rank test: χ²= 65.604, P < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that nutritional status partially mediated the relationship between the TyG index and delirium, and vice versa. Malnutrition and elevated TyG index levels increase delirium risk in elderly heart failure patients, underscoring the need for effective nutritional management and metabolic regulation.

Dietary early addition enzyme-treated soybean improves amino acid absorption and protein digestibility by promoting digestive enzyme activity in broilers

Early nutritional regulation has become a research hotspot. The present study was undertaken to assess dietary early addition enzyme-treated soybean meal (ESBM) on nutrient digestibility, amino acid absorption, and intestinal development of broilers. Four hundred and fifty 1-day-old broilers were divided into three groups with 10 replicates of 15 broilers and fed with a basic diet, 2.5 or 5% ESBM during 1–10 days. Then, all groups were fed the same basic diets until 42 d. The obtained results indicated that supplementation of ESBM in early stage resulted in heavier BW and a better feed conversion ratio during the experimental periods compared with the control group. Supplementing the broiler’s diet with 5% ESBM led to enhance digestibility of DM, CP and decrease abdominal fat yield (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, 5% ESBM in the early diet increased villus height (P < 0.05, d 21) and reduced the crypt depth in jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05, d 42). Dietary 5% ESBM supplementation improved enzyme activity and upregulated nutrient transporters expression in jejunum, increased plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations (P < 0.05, d 10). In conclusion, our data demonstrated that supplementation ESBM promote intestinal development, upregulate AAs and peptide transporters gene expression for physiological absorption of AAs, and improve protein digestibility caused by intestinal enzyme activity, thereby improving growth performance.