Excessive hepatic glycogen accumulation commonly impairs hepatocytes function and further produces negative effects on growth and health status of carnivorous fish. A 9-week feeding trial was conducted to explore the potential regulation of resveratrol (RSV) on high-carbohydrate-induced glycogen deposition and immune response of largemouth bass. Results showed that high dietary carbohydrate (10 % inclusion of starch) led to hepatic glycogen accumulation and post-prandial hyperglycemia compared with the diet with 5 % starch, which was both alleviated with the inclusion of RSV. The use of RSV promoted the expression of sirtuin 1, which was down-regulated by high dietary carbohydrate. Meanwhile, RSV inclusion promoted the expression of genes involved in insulin pathway and glycolysis and inhibited the expression of gluconeogenesis-related genes. Additionally, high dietary carbohydrate significantly reduced lysozyme content but increased complement C4 content, which were both reversed with RSV supplementation. Meanwhile, RSV inclusion inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines but promoted anti-inflammatory cytokines expression, compared with the high carbohydrate treatment. In conclusion, RSV inclusion was beneficial in alleviating high-dietary-carbohydrate-induced glycogen accumulation and immune response in largemouth bass.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of three dietary Se sources, such as sodium-selenite (S-S), seleno-yeast (S-Y) and seleno-methionine (S-M), on Se concentration, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and TXNRD activities, and mRNA expression of fifteen representative selenoproteins, and protein expression of four endoplasmic reticulum-resided selenoproteins in a wide range of tissues of yellow catfish. Compared with S-S and S-M groups, dietary S-Y significantly decreased growth performance and feed utilisation of yellow catfish. Dietary Se sources significantly influenced Se contents in the spleen, dorsal muscle and the kidney, GPX activities in spleen, kidney, intestine, muscle and mesenteric fat, and TXNRD activities in the heart, intestine and mesenteric fat. Among ten tested tissues, dietary Se sources influenced mRNA expression of GPX4 and SELENOK in three tissues; GPX3, SELENOS and TXNRD2 in four tissues; SELENOF, SELENON and DIO2 in five tissues; SELENOM, GPX1/2 and TXNRD3 in six tissues; SELENOW in seven tissue and SELENOP and SELENOT in eight tissues. Based on these observations above, S-S and S-M seem to be suitable Se sources for improving growth performance and feed utilisation of yellow catfish. Dietary Se sources differentially influence the expression of selenoproteins in various tissues of yellow catfish. For the first time, we determined the expression of selenoproteins in fish in responses to dietary Se sources, which contributes to a better understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of selenoporteins.

This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of supplementing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in breeder hens diet on development and hepatic lipid metabolism of chick offspring. Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were allocated into two groups, supplemented with 0 (control (CT)) or 0·5 % CLA for 8 weeks. Offspring chicks were grouped according to the mother generation and fed for 7 d. CLA treatment had no significant influence on development, egg quality and fertility of breeder hens but darkened the egg yolks in shade and increased yolk sac mass compared with the CT group. Addition of CLA resulted in increased body mass and liver mass and decreased deposition of subcutaneous adipose tissue in chick offspring. The serum TAG and total cholesterol levels of chick offspring were decreased in CLA group. CLA treatment increased the incorporation of both CLA isomers (c9t11 and t10c12) in the liver of chick offspring, accompanied by the decreased hepatic TAG levels, related to the significant reduction of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) enzyme activities and the increased carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) enzyme activity. Meanwhile, CLA treatment reduced the mRNA expression of genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS, ACC and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c) and induced the expression of genes related to β-oxidative (CPT1, AMP-activated protein kinase and PPARα) in chick offspring liver. In summary, the addition of CLA in breeder hens diet significantly increased the incorporation of CLA in the liver of chick offspring, which further regulate hepatic lipid metabolism.

Breast milk composition varies with maternal factors including diet and confers health benefits to the neonate; however, the mechanisms mediating this protection remain incompletely understood. Our aim was to investigate the effects of supplementing a maternal high-fat/sucrose (HFS) diet with prebiotic oligofructose (OFS) on milk composition in rats and associations with offspring body composition and gut microbiota. Obese Sprague–Dawley dams consumed a control, HFS, HFS + OFS (10 % wt/wt) or HFS diet weight-matched to the HFS + OFS group (HFS-WM) during pregnancy and lactation. Pups were weaned onto a HFS diet on day 21. Milk was collected at weaning and analysed for protein, leptin and microRNA (miRNA) levels. Milk produced by HFS dams contained less protein than milk from lean controls which was normalised by OFS. Six miRNA (miR-222, miR-203a, miR-200a, miR-26a, miR-27a and miR-103) were differentially expressed in milk according to maternal diet. Milk leptin content was positively correlated with maternal body fat and faecal Enterobacteriaceae in male offspring at 24 weeks of age. Milk protein content was inversely associated with maternal body fat and body weight. miR-200a was positively associated with maternal body fat and Enterobacteriaceae in female offspring at 24 weeks of age. Correlations between milk protein and multiple milk miRNA and offspring body composition and gut microbiota differed by sex. Overall, our results suggest that obesogenic diets and prebiotic supplementation can alter the protein and miRNA levels in breast milk in rats and these milk components may explain, in part, the influence of these maternal diets on offspring body composition.

To unveil the adaptation of Litopenaeus vannamei to elevated ambient ammonia-N, crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone (CHH) was knocked down to investigate its function in glucose metabolism pathway under ammonia-N exposure. When CHH was silenced, haemolymph glucose increased significantly during 3–6 h, decreased significantly during 12–48 h and recovered to the control groups’ level at 72 h. After CHH knock-down, dopamine (DA) contents reduced significantly during 3–24 h, which recovered after 48 h. Besides, the expressions of guanylyl cyclase (GC) and DA1R in the hepatopancreas decreased significantly, while DA4R increased significantly. Correspondingly, the contents of cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP (cGMP) and diacylglycerol (DAG) and the expressions of protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase G (PKG), AMP active protein kinase α (AMPKα) and AMPKγ were significantly down-regulated, while the levels of protein kinase C (PKC) and AMPKβ were significantly up-regulated. The expressions of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and GLUT2 decreased significantly, while GLUT1 increased significantly. Moreover, glycogen content, glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase activities in hepatopancreas and muscle were significantly increased. Furthermore, the levels of key enzymes hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase in glycolysis (GLY), rate-limiting enzymes citrate synthase in tricarboxylic acid and critical enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose diphosphate and glucose-6-phosphatase in gluconeogenesis (GNG) were significantly decreased in hepatopancreas. These results suggest that CHH affects DA and then they affect their receptors to transmit glucose metabolism signals into the hepatopancreas of L. vannamei under ammonia-N stress. CHH acts on the cGMP-PKG-AMPKα-CREB pathway through GC, and CHH affects DA to influence cAMP-PKA-AMPKγ-CREB and DAG-PKC-AMPKβ-CREB pathways, thereby regulating GLUT, inhibiting glycogen metabolism and promoting GLY and GNG. This study contributes to further understand glucose metabolism mechanism of crustacean in response to environmental stress.

A negative association between blood Pb level (BPbL) and vitamin D metabolites in occupationally exposed populations has been reported, but data from the general population are scarce. Furthermore, the association between BPbL and vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has not been reported. We investigated the association of BPbL with DBP, total and free 25(OH)D in healthy adolescents (n 1347; age range 11–16 years) cross-sectionally selected from all Governorates of Kuwait, utilising multi-stage cluster random sampling. Pb in whole blood was analysed by inductively coupled plasma MS, and DBP with ELISA. Plasma 25(OH)D was analysed by LC-MS/MS, and free 25(OH)D was calculated utilising the levels and binding affinities of DBP and albumin for 25(OH)D. DBP was positively associated with BPbL (β = 0·81; 95 % CI 0·14, 0·22; P < 0·001). A negative association between BPbL and total 25(OH)D was non-significant (P = 0·24) when BPbL was used as a continuous variable but was significant when used as quartiles (P = 0·02). The negative association between BPbL and free 25(OH)D was significant whether BPbL was used as continuous, as quartiles or as cut-off point of <5 µg/dl (0·24 µmol/l). In multinomial logistic regression, the odds of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were more than two-fold higher in the upper quartiles of BPbL compared with the lowest quartile. The negative correlation of BPbL with free 25(OH)D was more robust than its correlation with total 25(OH)D. Future studies must consider the levels of DBP when assessing the association between Pb and vitamin D metabolites.

We aimed to compare the efficacy of daily v. low dose depot oral vitamin D3 for treating nutritional rickets. We conducted a randomised controlled trial in the department of paediatrics of a tertiary care hospital catering to semi-urban and rural population in Delhi, India. We randomised sixty-six children aged 3 months to 5 years with nutritional rickets to receive either daily oral vitamin D3 drops (3–12 months: 2000 IU; > 12 months to 5 years: 4000 IU; n 33) for 12 weeks duration or a single oral depot dose of vitamin D3 granules (3–12 months: 60 000 IU; > 12 months to 5 years: 150 000 IU; n 33). Participants in both groups had comparable demographic characteristics, laboratory features and radiological severity of rickets. Thirty-three participants in each group received the assigned intervention and all were followed up till 12 weeks. At 12 weeks follow-up, children in both groups showed a significant improvement in all biochemical parameters (serum Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), parathormone and 25(OH) vitamin D levels) as well as radiological healing. At 12 weeks, the mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels (nmol/l) were statistically comparable in both groups (daily: 120·2 (sd 83·2), depot: 108 (sd 74), P = 0·43) and 31 (93·9 %) children in each group had radiological healing (Thacher score < 1·5). Two children in each group persisted to have raised ALP, and one child each in the daily group continued to have hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia at 12 weeks. Low dose oral depot vitamin D3 is an effective alternative to daily oral vitamin D3 for nutritional rickets.

l-Citrulline (l-Cit) is a non-essential amino acid that stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production and improves exercise performance by reducing muscle damage indices; however, the direct benefits of l-Cit on antioxidant markers are unclear. The aim of this study was to examine antioxidant responses to high-intensity interval exercise following acute l-Cit supplementation. Nine young men (21 (sd 1) years) participated in a double-blind crossover study in which they received 12 g of l-Cit and placebo (PL) an hour prior to high-intensity interval exercise on two occasions, separated by a 7-d washout period. Blood samples were obtained before (PRE), immediately after (IP), 10 (10P) and 30 min after exercise (30P) from the cubital vein using standard procedures. Serum concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and NO metabolites (NOx) were measured. The exercise protocol significantly elevated SOD (P = 0·01) and GPx (P = 0·048) from PRE to 10P in the l-Cit group with greater changes than the PL group. CAT concentrations increased IP (P = 0·014) and remained elevated at 10P (P = 0·03) and 30P (P = 0·015) in both the l-Cit and PL conditions. NOx concentrations increased IP (P = 0·05) in the l-Cit group with greater changes than PL group in PRE to IP, PRE to 10P and PRE to 30P (P < 0·05). Our data indicate that l-Cit supplementation (single 12 g dose pre-exercise) induces improvements in antioxidant markers following a session of high-intensity interval exercise in young men.

Diets varying in SFA and MUFA content can impact glycaemic control; however, whether underlying differences in genetic make-up can influence blood glucose responses to these dietary fatty acids is unknown. We examined the impact of dietary oils varying in SFA/MUFA content on changes in blood glucose levels (primary outcome) and whether these changes were modified by variants in the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene (secondary outcome). Obese men and women participating in the randomised, crossover, isoenergetic, controlled-feeding Canola Oil Multicenter Intervention Trial II consumed three dietary oils for 6 weeks, with washout periods of ˜6 weeks between each treatment. Diets studied included a high SFA/low MUFA Control oil (36·6 % SFA/28·2 % MUFA), a conventional canola oil (6·2 % SFA/63·1 % MUFA) and a high-oleic acid canola oil (5·8 % SFA/74·7 % MUFA). No differences in fasting blood glucose were observed following the consumption of the dietary oils. However, when stratified by SCD genotypes, significant SNP-by-treatment interactions on blood glucose response were found with additive models for rs1502593 (P = 0·01), rs3071 (P = 0·02) and rs522951 (P = 0·03). The interaction for rs3071 remained significant (P = 0·005) when analysed with a recessive model, where individuals carrying the CC genotype showed an increase (0·14 (sem 0·09) mmol/l) in blood glucose levels with the Control oil diet, but reductions in blood glucose with both MUFA oil diets. Individuals carrying the AA and AC genotypes experienced reductions in blood glucose in response to all three oils. These findings identify a potential new target for personalised nutrition approaches aimed at improving glycaemic control.

Chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy (CTIN) is one of the most common kidney diseases. However, treatment for CTIN has multiple limits. Adjuvant therapy through nutritional regulation has become a hot research topic at present. Icariin (ICA), an extraction of Chinese herbal medicine epimedium, has many pharmacological functions including anti-inflammation and tonifying kidney. Selenomethionine (SeMet) possesses the effects of antioxidant and lightening nephrotoxicity. However, little is known about the combined nephroprotection of them. This study was investigated to evaluate the joint effects of ICA and SeMet on CTIN and explore the mechanism. Based on a novel CTIN model developed in our previous study, mice were randomly divided into five groups (a: control; b: model; c: model + ICA; d: model + SeMet; e: model + ICA + SeMet). Renal tubule epithelial cells were treated with cyclosporine A and ochratoxin A without/with ICA or/and SeMet. The results showed that ICA or/and SeMet ameliorated CTIN by inhibiting the uptrends of blood urine nitrogen, serum creatinine, urine protein, urine gravity, histopathological damage degree and collagen I deposition. ICA or/and SeMet also increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis and the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and α-smooth muscle actin. Emphatically, ICA and SeMet joint had better nephroprotection than alone in most indexes including fibrosis. Furthermore, ICA and SeMet joint decreased the activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NFκB pathway induced by CTIN. TLR4 overexpression counteracted the joint protection of ICA and SeMet. Therefore, ICA and SeMet in combination could protect against CTIN through blocking TLR4/NFκB pathway. The study will provide novel insights to explore an adjuvant therapeutic orientation.

Accumulating evidence indicates that dietary phenolic compounds can prevent obesity-related disorders. We investigated whether the consumption of polyphenol-rich jabuticaba peel and seed powder (JPSP) could ameliorate the progression of diet-induced obesity in mice. Male mice were fed a control diet or a high-fat (HF) diet for 9 weeks. After this period, mice were fed control, HF or HF diets supplemented with 5 % (HF-J5), 10 % (HF-J10) or 15 % (HF-J15) of JPSP, for 4 additional weeks. Supplementation with JPSP not only attenuated HF-induced weight gain and fat accumulation but also ameliorated the pro-inflammatory response associated with obesity, as evidenced by the absence of mast cells in the visceral depot accompanied by lower IL-6 and TNF-α at the tissue and circulating levels. JPSP-supplemented mice also exhibited smaller-sized adipocytes, reduced levels of leptin and higher levels of adiponectin, concomitant with improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. The magnitude of the observed effects was dependent on JPSP concentration with HF-J10- and HF-J15-fed mice showing metabolic profiles similar to control. This study reveals that the consumption of JPSP protects against the dysfunction of the adipose tissue and metabolic disturbances in obese mice. Thus, these findings indicate the therapeutic potential of the phenolic-rich JPSP in preventing obesity-related disorders.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary myo-inositol (MI) on growth performance, antioxidant status and lipid metabolism of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) fed different percentage of lipid. Crabs (4·58 (sem 0·05) g) were fed four diets including a normal lipid diet (N, containing 7 % lipid and 0 mg/kg MI), N with MI supplementation (N + MI, containing 7 % lipid and 1600 mg/kg MI), a high lipid diet (H, containing 13 % lipid and 0 mg/kg MI) and H with MI supplementation (H + MI, containing 13 % lipid and 1600 mg/kg MI) for 8 weeks. The H + MI group showed higher weight gain and specific growth rate than those in the H group. The dietary MI could improve the lipid accumulations in the whole body, hepatopancreas and muscle as a result of feeding on the high dietary lipid (13 %) in crabs. Besides, the crabs fed the H + MI diets increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes but reduced the malondialdehyde content in hepatopancreas compared with those fed the H diets. Moreover, dietary MI enhanced the expression of genes involved in lipid oxidation and exportation, yet reduced lipid absorption and synthesis genes expression in the hepatopancreas of crabs fed the H diet, which might be related to the activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase-β (CaMKKβ)/adenosine 5’-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling pathway. This study demonstrates that MI could increase lipid utilisation and reduce lipid deposition in the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis fed a high lipid diet through IP3R/CaMKKβ/AMPK activation. This work provides new insights into the function of MI in the diet of crustaceans.

Fibre content and its effect on chyme viscosity are associated with changes in the digestive system of humans and pigs. It is unclear if fibre content and viscosity affect digestive function independently or interactively. We evaluated apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients and intestinal function in thirty-six ileal-cannulated barrows fed for 29 d either maize–soyabean meal (MSBM) or high-fibre MSBM + 30 % distillers dried grains with solubles (MSBM + DDGS) modified to three levels of viscosity by adding 5 % non-viscous cellulose (CEL), 6·5 % medium-viscous carboxymethylcellulose (MCMC) or 6·5 % high-viscous CMC (HCMC). Digesta were collected on days 27 and 28 and intestinal samples on day 29. Feeding CMC, regardless of fibre content, increased viscosity of whole digesta (P = 0·003) and digesta supernatant (P < 0·0001) compared with CEL. Feeding MSBM + DDGS or CMC decreased AID of DM (P = 0·003; P < 0·0001) and crude protein (P = 0·02; P < 0·0001) compared with MSBM or CEL. Feeding CMC regardless of fibre content increased jejunal crypt depth (P = 0·02) and ileal goblet cell area (P = 0·004) compared with CEL. Adding DDGS or CMC did not affect villus height and gene expression of jejunal monosaccharide and amino acid transporters. Feeding HCMC, regardless of fibre content, elevated amylase activity by 46 and 50 % in jejunal (P = 0·03) and ileal digesta (P = 0·01) compared with CEL. In summary, diets with increased viscosity decreased nutrient digestibility and induced intestinal changes that were independent of the amount of fibre fed.

Enterohepatic circulation of 12α-hydroxylated (12αOH) bile acid (BA) is enhanced depending on the energy intake in high-fat diet-fed rats. Such BA metabolism can be reproduced using a diet supplemented with cholic acid (CA), which also induces simple steatosis, without inflammation and fibrosis, accompanied by some other symptoms that are frequently observed in the condition of non-alcoholic fatty liver in rats. We investigated whether supplementation of the diet with raffinose (Raf) improves hepatic lipid accumulation induced by the CA-fed condition in rats. After acclimation to the AIN-93-based control diet, male Wistar rats were fed diets supplemented with a combination of Raf (30 g/kg diet) and/or CA (0·5 g/kg diet) for 4 weeks. Dietary Raf normalised hepatic TAG levels (two-way ANOVA P < 0·001 for CA, P = 0·02 for Raf and P = 0·004 for interaction) in the CA-supplemented diet-fed rats. Dietary Raf supplementation reduced hepatic 12αOH BA concentration (two-way ANOVA P < 0·001 for CA, P = 0·003 for Raf and P = 0·03 for interaction). The concentration of 12αOH BA was reduced in the aortic and portal plasma. Raf supplementation increased acetic acid concentration in the caecal contents (two-way ANOVA P = 0·001 as a main effect). Multiple regression analysis revealed that concentrations of aortic 12αOH BA and caecal acetic acid could serve as predictors of hepatic TAG concentration (R2 = 0·55, P < 0·001). However, Raf did not decrease the secondary 12αOH BA concentration in the caecal contents as well as the transaminase activity in the CA diet-fed rats. These results imply that dietary Raf normalises hepatic lipid accumulation via suppression of enterohepatic 12αOH BA circulation.

Methionine is a precursor of s-adenosylmethionine, the main donor of methyl radicals for methylation of DNA and other compounds. Previous studies have shown that reduced availability of methyl radicals during pregnancy/lactation decreased offspring perigonadal white adipose tissue (PWAT) and body weight. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of methionine supplementation during early development, a time of great ontogenic plasticity, by assessing the biometric, biochemical and behavioural parameters of the offspring of adult Swiss female mice supplemented with 1 % methionine in water 1 month before pregnancy, during pregnancy or pregnancy/lactation. After birth, the offspring were distributed into three groups: control (CT), methionine supplementation during pregnancy (SP) and methionine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation (SPL), and were followed until postnatal day (PND) 300. No changes were observed in offspring birth weight in both sexes. At PND 5, 28 and 90, no differences in body weight were found in females; however, at PND 300, SP and SPL females showed an increase in body weight when compared with the control group. This increase in body weight was accompanied by a total and relative increase in PWAT, and a decrease in locomotor activity in these groups. No differences in the body and organ weights were found in male offspring. In conclusion, the increased availability of methyl radicals during pregnancy and lactation impacted long-term body composition and locomotor activity in female offspring.

SCFA increase serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) synthesis and content in the colon in vitro and ex vivo, but little is known in vivo. We tested whether dietary indigestible saccharides, utilised as a substrate to produce SCFA by gut microbiota, would increase colonic 5-HT content in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a purified diet and water supplemented with 4 % (w/v) 1-kestose (KES) for 2 weeks. Colonic 5-HT content and enterochromaffin (EC) cell numbers were lower in mice supplemented with KES than those without supplementation, while monoamine oxidase A activity and mRNA levels of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph1), chromogranin A (Chga), Slc6a4 and monoamine oxidase A (Maoa) genes in the colonic mucosa, serum 5-HT concentration and total 5-HT content in the colonic contents did not differ between groups. Caecal acetate concentration and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum population were higher in KES-supplemented mice. Similar trends were observed in mice supplemented with other indigestible saccharides, that is, fructo-oligosaccharides, inulin and raffinose. Intragastric administration of live B. pseudolongum (108 colony-forming units/d) for 2 weeks reduced colonic 5-HT content and EC cell numbers. These results suggest that changes in synthesis, reuptake, catabolism and overflow of 5-HT in the colonic mucosa are not involved in the reduction of colonic 5-HT content by dietary indigestible saccharides in mice. We propose that gut microbes including B. pseudolongum could contribute to the reduction of 5-HT content in the colonic mucosa via diminishing EC cells.

Pigs subjected to heat stress (HS) decrease their feed intake and growth. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the effects of live yeast (LY) supplementation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var boulardii CNCM I-1079) on feeding behaviour, energy metabolism and faecal microbiota composition of finishing boars (n 10) housed in a respiration chamber at thermoneutrality (7 d at 22°C) or during HS (seven plus six days at 28°C). Dietary LY supplementation increased DM intake (P = 0·01) whatever the ambient temperature, whereas HS decreased feed intake whatever the dietary supplementation (P = 0·01). Dietary LY supplementation increased the number of meals (P = 0·02). Energy retention was higher with dietary LY supplementation (P < 0·01) but decreased during HS (P < 0·01). The skin temperature of the supplemented pigs was lower at thermoneutrality and increased during HS to a lesser extent than that of non-supplemented pigs (P < 0·01). Faecal microbiota composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Treponema, Christensenellaceae R-7, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Rikenellaceae RC9, Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Romboutsia genera and some bacteria belonging to Alloprevotella, Oxalobacter and Anaeroplasma genera were more abundant under HS. LY supplementation attenuated HS effects on Romboutsia abundance, while decreasing the abundance of some bacteria from Ruminoccocus, Coprococcus, Peptococcus and Oxalobacter genera and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria from Lactococcus and Subdoligranulum genera. Our results suggest that higher level of the keystone species Ruminococcus bromii at thermoneutrality may be one of the causes for higher energy retention observed under subsequent HS.

There are currently no universal evidence-based nutrition guidelines that address the gluten-free (GF) diet for children/youth (4–18 years). A GF food guide was created to help children/youth with coeliac disease (CD) and their families navigate the complexities of following a GF diet. Guide formation was based on pre-guide stakeholder consultations and an evaluation of nutrient intake and dietary patterns. The study objective was to conduct an evaluation on guide content, layout, feasibility and dissemination strategies from end-stakeholder users (children/youth with CD, parents/caregivers and health care professionals). This is a cross-sectional study using a multi-method approach of virtual focus groups and an online survey to conduct stakeholder evaluations. Stakeholders included children/youth (4–18 years), their parents/caregivers in the coeliac community (n 273) and health care professionals (n 80) with both paediatric and CD experience from across Canada. Thematic analysis was performed on focus group responses and open-ended survey questions until thematic saturation was achieved. χ2 and Fisher’s exact statistical analyses were performed on demographic and close-ended survey questions. Stakeholders positively perceived the guide for content, layout, feasibility, ethnicity and usability. Stakeholders found the material visually appealing and engaging with belief that it could effectively be used in multi-ethnic community and clinical-based settings. Guide revisions were made in response to stakeholder consultations to improve food selection (e.g. child-friendly foods), language (e.g. clarity) and layout (e.g. organisation). The evaluation by end-stakeholders provided practical and patient-focused feedback on the guide to enable successful uptake in community and clinical-based settings.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different supplemental fat sources (soyabean oil (SBO) as a source of n-6 fatty acid (FA) and fish oil (FO) as a source of n-3 FA) in the starter feed of milk-fed dairy calves during the hot season. Forty Holstein calves (3 d of age; 39·67 kg of body weight; ten calves per group) were randomly assigned to the experimental treatments as follows: (1) starter feed supplemented with no fat source (CON), (2) starter feed supplemented with 3 % SBO (DM basis), (3) starter feed supplemented with 3 % FO (DM basis) and (4) starter feed supplemented with an equal mixture of SBO and FO (1·5 % each, DM basis). The milk feeding schedule was constant for treatments and all calves were weaned on day 65 of age. Results show that calves had greater starter intake, average daily gain and body length when fed SBO compared with the other treatments. However, feed efficiency was increased and inflammatory indicators (TNF-α, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin) concentrations were reduced in the calves fed FO compared with the other treatments. In summary, it was revealed that SBO rich in n-6 FA improved starter intake and growth performance, while FO rich in n-3 FA could improve the immune function of calves. Due to the current experimental condition, an equal mixture of SBO and FO (1·5 % each, DM basis) can be recommended to have an optimum growth performance and immune function while the calves are reared under the heat conditions.