Search Results (40)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Allium mongolicum Regel essential oil (AMO) supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and muscle amino acid profile in finishing lambs. A total of twenty male Dorper × Han crossbred lambs (body weight = 32.5 ± 2.5 kg, 4–4.5 months old) were randomly allocated into two dietary treatments (n = 10 per group): a control group fed a basal diet (roughage to concentrate ratio of 45:55) or an AMO group supplemented with 56 mg/d of AMO per lamb. The trial consisted of a 15-day adaptation period followed by a 60-day experimental period. At the end of the trial, six lambs were randomly selected from each group for slaughter. Samples of the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle were collected to determine meat quality traits, proximate composition, and amino acid profiles. Supplementation increased average daily gain by 6.6% and improved feed conversion ratio by 4.6% (p < 0.05), whereas feed intake and final body weight were not affected (p > 0.05). In LT, GR tissue depth and loin muscle area were increased (p < 0.05). Drip loss was reduced (p < 0.05), whereas proximate composition, cooking loss, and shear force remained unchanged (p > 0.05). The hydrolyzed amino acid composition and protein nutritional value of LT were not affected (p > 0.05). However, total free amino acid (FAA), total essential FAA, and the concentrations of free leucine, isoleucine, lysine, valine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, and cysteine were increased by supplementation (p < 0.05). Moreover, flavor-related FAA, including umami-, sweet-, and bitter/sweet/sulfurous-related FAA were also increased by supplementation (p < 0.05). These results indicate that AMO improves growth efficiency and enhances LT meat quality, particularly by increasing flavor-related FAA, without altering protein nutritional characteristics. Full article

Global population growth has intensified the demand for productive and sustainable livestock systems. Lithothamnium calcareum, a calcareous marine alga, has been investigated as a natural feed additive for cattle diets. This study evaluated the effects of L. calcareum supplementation on performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism, urinary and fecal pH, and enteric methane emissions in Nellore heifers during the finishing phase. Thirty-six heifers (BW = 268.8 ± 7.3 kg) were assigned to individual pens in a completely randomized design and fed ad libitum diets (25:75 forage-to-concentrate ratio, DM basis). Treatments were: (1) sodium bicarbonate (110 g/heifer/day) and (2) L. calcareum (60 g/heifer/day). The 96-day trial included 12 days of adaptation and 84 days on the finishing diet. Methane emissions were measured using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) tracer technique. L. calcareum did not affect performance, carcass traits, nitrogen metabolism, or apparent total tract digestibility (all p ≥ 0.106), but reduced urine pH (p ≤ 0.001) and tended to lower methane emissions (−8.2%; p = 0.079). Thus, L. calcareum appears to be a viable natural alternative to sodium bicarbonate in finishing diets for Nellore heifers, maintaining productive performance and potentially reducing enteric methane output. Full article

This study assessed the impact of the dietary inclusion of Prosopis laevigata pods (PLPs) on growth performance, carcass traits, and the metabolomic profiles of liver and meat in finishing lambs. A total of 28 crossbred lambs (38 ± 5 kg body weight) were allocated to one of two treatments: a control diet (0 g PLP/kg dry matter, n = 14; CONT) and a diet supplemented with 300 g PLP/kg dry matter (DM) (n = 14; PS). Growth performance was monitored over 25 days. Animals were assigned to a randomized design, and data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure. Compared with the control diet, PLP inclusion (300 g/kg DM) reduced total body weight gain (p = 0.04) and worsened feed conversion efficiency. Lambs on the control diet also displayed a significantly greater (p = 0.02) rump perimeter. In contrast, lambs fed the 300 g PLP/kg DM diet showed a marked increase (p < 0.05) in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle area. Principal component analysis revealed a distinct separation between treatment groups based on the identified metabolites. Liver metabolomic data accounted for 30.6% of the total variability, while meat samples accounted for 45.7%. A total of 21 and 23 metabolites exhibited positive correlations in liver and meat, respectively. Notably, PLP supplementation influenced several metabolic pathways (p < 0.05), including the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid biosynthesis, and sulfur metabolism in both liver and meat. Additionally, phenylalanine metabolism was specifically affected (p < 0.05) in the liver, while steroid biosynthesis was altered (p < 0.05) in meat. Overall, the inclusion of PLPs in the diet of finishing lambs resulted in notable changes to the liver and meat metabolomes, particularly in pathways associated with fatty acid biosynthesis. Although PLP supplementation reduced overall growth performance, it did not negatively impact carcass quality traits; hence, we recommend the inclusion of 300 g PLP/kg DM in finishing lamb diets. Full article

Maternal consumption of a high-fructose (HF) diet or exposure to microplastics (MPs) can each independently affect kidney development and increase the risk of hypertension in adult offspring, yet their combined impact remains poorly understood. Dysregulation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) signaling and alterations in gut microbiota are potential mediators of this programming. Pregnant rats received either standard chow or a 60% HF diet, with half of each group additionally exposed to sulfate-modified MPs (1 mg/L) with a 5 μm diameter throughout pregnancy and lactation. Male offspring were divided into four groups (n = 7–8 per group): control, HF, MP, and HF+MP. Maternal HF or MP exposure raised offspring blood pressure (BP), with additive effects when combined, and MP exposure caused renal injury. MP treatment also suppressed renal H₂S-generating enzymes and reduced H₂S production. Both HF and MP exposures altered gut microbial composition linked to BP regulation and induced metabolic changes in taurine/hypotaurine and sulfur pathways, suggesting impaired H₂S production. These results indicate that maternal HF and MP exposures interfere with H₂S signaling, gut microbiota, and metabolic programming, highlighting the H₂S signaling as a potential target to reduce long-term kidney and cardiometabolic risks. Full article

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) readily accumulates cadmium (Cd), posing dietary exposure risks in populations dependent on rice-based diets. This study investigated how sulfur (S) redox processes regulate Cd mobility in S-deficient, Cd-contaminated paddy soil under waterlogged conditions. A pot experiment was conducted with two S treatments (−S and +S, 30 mg kg⁻¹) throughout the rice growing season. S addition markedly increased pore water S²⁻ concentrations during early growth (tillering) and mid-season (booting) and suppressed the diffusion of SO₄²⁻ from non-rhizosphere to rhizosphere at later stages (filling–maturity). Consequently, Cd in soil pore water was significantly lower in +S than −S treatments at all stages. Sulfur-amended soil showed a redistribution of Cd from labile fractions (exchangeable and carbonate-bound) to more stable fractions (Fe/Mn oxide-bound). Sulfur application also altered the rhizosphere microbiome: the relative abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) increased at the booting and filling stages, while sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) became more dominant at maturity. Additionally, +S enhanced Cd sequestration on rice root iron plaque by 32–67% during the grain-filling and maturity stages compared to −S. Throughout the rice growing period, redox-driven shifts in the S²⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio emerged as a key control on Cd behavior, with low pe + pH (strongly reducing conditions) promoting Cd sulfide precipitation and high pe + pH (more oxidizing conditions) causing Cd remobilization. Full article

Modified nano-clays, alone or combined with probiotics, may offer a novel and sustainable approach to improve ruminal fermentation and mitigate CH₄ emissions in high-fiber diets. This study evaluated the properties and effects of modified nano-bentonite (MNB), with or without yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), compared to natural bentonite (NB) and monensin, using the in vitro gas production (GP) technique. The substrate used was a basal diet composed primarily of forage (Trifolium alexandrinum clover) in a 70:30 forage-to-concentrate ratio. The treatments were a control group receiving the basal diet without additives; a monensin-added diet containing 40 mg/kg of dry matter (DM); a yeast-added diet with Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 2 × 10⁸ CFU/g of DM; a NB clay-added diet at 5 g/kg of DM; and MNB diets added at two levels (0.5 g/kg of DM (MNB_Low) and 1 g/kg of DM (MNB_High)), with or without S. cerevisiae. MNB showed a smaller particle size and improved properties, such as higher conductivity, surface area, and cation exchange capacity, than NB. Sulfur and related functional groups were detected only in MNB. No differences were observed in total GP, while both the monensin diet and the MNB_High-with-yeast diet significantly reduced CH₄ emissions compared to the control (p < 0.05). The MNB_High-without-yeast combination significantly (p < 0.05) reduced hemicellulose degradation, as well as total protozoal counts, including Isotricha and Epidinium spp. (p < 0.05), compared to the control. Ammonia levels did not differ significantly among treatments, while NB and MNB_High diets tended to have (p = 0.063) the highest short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations. These findings suggest the potential modulatory effects of yeast and MNB on rumen fermentation dynamics and CH₄ mitigation. Full article

This pilot study investigated the effects of a reduced sulfur (RS) diet on the gut microbiome composition and fecal metabolome in individuals with remitted or active ulcerative colitis (UC). Thirteen participants maintained their habitual diet (control), while nine followed an RS diet for eight weeks (Wk8). Stool and plasma samples were collected at the baseline and Wk8. The sulfur intake decreased in the RS group (−28 g/1000 kcal) versus the control group (−1.7 g/1000 kcal; p < 0.001). The RS group exhibited a significant decrease in lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (−5280 ng/mL), while these levels increased in the control group (620 ng/mL; p < 0.05). The microbiome analysis showed an increased alpha diversity at Wk8 (p < 0.01), suggesting a microbial shift with a RS intake. The metabolic alterations indicated enhanced nitrogen disposal (increased uric acid, methyluric acid, N-acetyl-L-glutamate) and a higher energy demand (elevated ubiquinol and glucose-pyruvate). The RS diet increased beneficial microbes Collinsella stercoris, Asaccharobacter celatus, and Alistipes finegoldii, while decreasing pathobionts Eggerthella lenta and Romboutsia ilealis. Methyluric acid correlated positively with C. stercoris (β = 0.70) and negatively with E. lenta (β = −0.77) suggesting these microbes utilized this metabolite and influenced the microbiome composition. In conclusion, a RS diet promoted microbial diversity, metabolic adaptations, and reduced inflammation, highlighting its potential as a novel strategy for UC management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dietary sulfur amino acid restriction (SAAR) elicits various health benefits, some mediated by fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). However, research on SAAR’s effects on the heart is limited and presents mixed findings. This study aimed to evaluate SAAR-induced molecular alterations associated with cardiac remodeling and their dependence on FGF21. Methods: Male C57BL/6J wild-type and FGF21 knockout mice were randomized into four dietary regimens, including normal fat and high-fat diets (HFDs) with and without SAAR, over five weeks. Results: SAAR significantly reduced body weight and visceral adiposity while increasing serum FGF21 levels. In the heart, SAAR-induced molecular metabolic alterations are indicative of enhanced lipid utilization, glucose uptake, and mitochondrial biogenesis. SAAR also elicited opposing effects on the cardiac gene expression of FGF21 and adiponectin. Regarding cellular stress responses, SAAR mitigated the HFD-induced increase in the cardiac expression of genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, while upregulating antioxidative genes. Structurally, SAAR did not induce alterations indicative of cardiac hypertrophy and it counteracted HFD-induced fibrotic gene expression. Overall, most alterations induced by SAAR were FGF21-independent, except for those related to lipid utilization and glucose uptake. Conclusions: Altogether, SAAR promotes cardiac alterations indicative of physiological rather than pathological remodeling, primarily through FGF21-independent mechanisms. Full article

Marine macroalgae are organisms rich in bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, and various minerals. Macroalgae are increasingly being added to the human diet precisely because they contain useful compounds that can also be used in the pharmaceutical industry. Previous research describes their addition to meat products, yogurt, bread, and baby food. However, data on the addition of algae to beer have been scarce. The goal of this work was to produce beer with the addition of brown macroalgae (Fucus virsoides) from the Adriatic Sea. In addition, the basic physical–chemical parameters (color, pH, ethanol, extract, and polyphenols) were determined. The most important premise is the transfer of selenium (Se) to beer, since Se is deficient in human food chain. The transfer of different metals, namely, S (sulfur), Mg (magnesium), P (phosphorus), K (potassium), Ca (calcium), Cr (chromium), Mn (manganese), Fe (iron), Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Cu (copper), Zn (zinc), As (arsenic), Se (selenium), Mo (molybdenum), Cd (cadmium), Hg (mercury), and Pb (lead), from algae to beer was determined using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP−MS). The results, however, were not satisfactory regarding metal transfer. In particular, Se was detected in beer, but other metals such as As, Cd, and Pb were not. Alga addition contributed to extract values, and the original extract reached 14.3 °P in wort with alga addition, as opposed to 12.8 °P in the control sample. Such high extract content, however, resulted in beer with low alcohol content, <4% v/v for both beers. This could be explained by the high levels of unfermentable extract. pH values showed statistical difference between samples, meaning that the addition of algae significantly affected the pH value of beer, reducing acidity by almost 5%. Full article

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) are faced with a formidable challenge of focal amyloid deposits and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). The treatment of amyloid deposits in ADRD by targeting only oxidative stress, inflammation and hyperlipidemia has not yielded significant positive clinical outcomes. The chronic high-fat diet (HFD), or gut dysbiosis, is one of the major contributors of ADRD in part by disrupted transport, epigenetic DNMT1 and the folate 1-carbon metabolism (FOCM) cycle, i.e., rhythmic methylation/de-methylation on DNA, an active part of epigenetic memory during genes turning off and on by the gene writer (DNMT1) and eraser (TET2/FTO) and the transsulfuration pathway by mitochondrial 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase (3MST)-producing H₂S. The repeat CAG expansion and m⁶A disorder causes senescence and AD. We aim to target the paradigm-shift pathway of the gut–brain microbiome axis that selectively inhibits amyloid deposits and increases mitochondrial transsulfuration and H₂S. We have observed an increase in DNMT1 and decreased FTO levels in the cortex of the brain of AD mice. Interestingly, we also observed that probiotic lactobacillus-producing post-biotic folate and lactone/ketone effectively prevented FOCM-associated gut dysbiosis and amyloid deposits. The s-adenosine-methionine (SAM) transporter (SLC25A) was increased by hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). Thus, we hypothesize that chronic gut dysbiosis induces SLC25A, the gene writer, and HHcy, and decreases the gene eraser, leading to a decrease in SLC7A and mitochondrial transsulfuration H₂S production and bioenergetics. Lactobacillus engulfs lipids/cholesterol and a tri-directional post-biotic, folic acid (an antioxidant and inhibitor of beta amyloid deposits; reduces Hcy levels), and the lactate ketone body (fuel for mitochondria) producer increases SLC7A and H₂S (an antioxidant, potent vasodilator and neurotransmitter gas) production and inhibits amyloid deposits. Therefore, it is important to discuss whether lactobacillus downregulates SLC25A and DNMT1 and upregulates TET2/FTO, inhibiting β-amyloid deposits by lowering homocysteine. It is also important to discuss whether lactobacillus upregulates SLC7A and inhibits β-amyloid deposits by increasing the mitochondrial transsulfuration of H₂S production. Full article

The aim of this experiment is to explore the effect of sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) on methane reduction in the rumen, and its impact on anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME). Using mixed rumen fluid from four Angus cattle fistulas, this study conducted an in vitro fermentation. Adding Na₂SO₄ to the fermentation substrate resulted in sulfur concentrations in the substrate of 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0%, 1.2%, 1.4%, 1.6%, 1.8%, 2.0%, 2.2%, and 2.4%. The gas production rate and methane yield were measured using an in vitro gas production method. Subsequently, the fermentation fluid was collected to determine the fermentation parameters. The presence of ANME in the fermentation broth, as well as the relationship between the number of bacteria, archaea, sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), ANME, and the amount of Na₂SO₄ added to the substrate, were measured using qPCR. The results showed that: (1) the addition of Na₂SO₄ could significantly reduce CH₄ production and was negatively correlated with CO₂ production; (2) ANME-1 and ANME-2c did exist in the fermentation broth; (3) the total number of archaea, SRB, ANME-1, and ANME-2c increased with the elevation of Na₂SO₄. The above results indicated that Na₂SO₄ could mitigate methane production via sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (S-DAMO) in the rumen. In the future management of beef cattle, including sodium sulfate in their diet can stimulate S-DAMO activity, thereby promoting a reduction in methane emissions. Full article

Faba bean is an important pulse. It provides proteins for the human diet and is used in industrial foodstuffs, such as flours. Drought stress severely reduces the yield of faba bean, and this can be efficiently overcome through the identification and application of key genes in response to drought. In this study, PacBio and Illumina RNA sequencing techniques were used to identify the key pathways and candidate genes involved in drought stress response. During seed germination, a total of 17,927 full-length transcripts and 12,760 protein-coding genes were obtained. There were 1676 and 811 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the varieties E1 and C105 at 16 h and 64 h under drought stress, respectively. Six and nine KEGG pathways were significantly enriched at 16 h and 64 h under drought stress, which produced 40 and 184 nodes through protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis, respectively. The DEGs of the PPI nodes were involved in the ABA (abscisic acid) and MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways, N-glycosylation, sulfur metabolism, and sugar metabolism. Furthermore, the ectopic overexpression of a key gene, AAT, encoding aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), in tobacco, enhanced drought tolerance. The activities of AAT and peroxidase (POD), the contents of cysteine and isoleucine, were increased, and the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) and water loss decreased in the overexpressed plants. This study provides a novel insight into genetic response to drought stress and some candidate genes for drought tolerance genetic improvements in this plant. Full article

The addition of methane-reducing compounds (MRCs) to livestock drinking water presents an alternative method for enteric methane mitigation in extensive systems where these compounds cannot be fed through the diet. This work evaluated several such compounds with the potential to be deployed in this manner. Methane-reducing compounds were selected based on the existing literature and likelihood of dissolution when combined with a commercially available water-based nutrient supplement (uPRO) (uPRO ORANGE^®, DIT AgTech, QLD, Australia). This, in turn, would demonstrate the capacity for MRCs to be administered through animal drinking water when such supplements are in use. This technique requires the analysis of MRC solubility and stability in solution, which was completed via Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy. The uPRO supplement is comprised of urea, urea phosphate, and ammonium sulfate, providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur—limiting nutrients for ruminants grazing extensive systems during drier periods of the year. Accordingly, medium-quality Rhodes grass hay was used in fermentation runs to simulate a basal diet during the dry season. Methane-reducing compounds were assessed in accordance with each variable measured (gas/methane production, dry matter digestibility, stability under different environmental conditions) along with existing research in the field to determine the most suitable compound for co-administration. Whilst most compounds examined in this study appeared to retain their structure in solution with uPRO, fermentation results varied in terms of successful methane mitigation. The additive Agolin Ruminant L emerged as the most promising compound for further in vivo investigation. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) tracer technique for estimating methane (CH₄) emissions in dual-flow continuous culture systems (DFCCS). In experiment 1 (Exp1), fermenters were filled with water, and known CH₄ concentrations (0, 1.35, 2.93, or 4.43 g/d) were injected using permeation tubes with SF₆ release rates (3.30 or 9.65 mg/d). Headspace gas was collected using canisters, and the SF₆ technique estimated CH₄ recovery. Experiment 2 (Exp2) involved a DFCCS fermentation trial with ruminal fluid from three Holstein cows, testing diets with soybean meal or its partial replacement (50%) by Chlorella or Spirulina. Headspace gas was collected at intervals post-feeding. Standard curves for SF₆ and CH₄ quantification were inadequate for DFCCS samples, with the CH₄:SF₆ ratio differing from standards, indicating the data needs further SF₆ release rate evaluation. In Exp1, a high correlation (r = 0.97) was found between infused and calculated CH₄, indicating good repeatability. Low and high SF₆ rates performed similarly at low CH₄ infusion, but high SF₆ overestimated CH₄ at high infusion. Exp2 showed CH₄ emissions irrespective of SF₆ rate and indicated reduced CH₄ emissions and increased NDF degradation with algae-containing diets. Further evaluation of the SF₆ tracer technique is warranted for DFCCS. Full article

The phrase “Let food be thy medicine…” means that food can be a form of medicine and medicine can be a form of food; in other words, that the diet we eat can have a significant impact on our health and well-being. Today, this phrase is gaining prominence as more and more scientific evidence suggests that one’s diet can help prevent and treat disease. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health problems and, on the other hand, a diet rich in processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats can increase the risk of the same diseases. Electrophilic compounds in the diet can have a significant impact on our health, and they are molecules that covalently modify cysteine residues present in the thiol-rich Keap1 protein. These compounds bind to Keap1 and activate NRF2, which promotes its translocation to the nucleus and its binding to DNA in the ARE region, triggering the antioxidant response and protecting against oxidative stress. These compounds include polyphenols and flavonoids that are nucleophilic but are converted to electrophilic quinones by metabolic enzymes such as polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) and sulfur compounds present in foods such as the Brassica genus (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, etc.) and garlic. This review summarizes our current knowledge on this subject. Full article