Hydrogen sulfide alleviates chilling injuryHydrogen Sulfide Mitigates Chilling Injury of Postharvest Banana Fruits by Regulating γ-Aminobutyric Acid Shunt Pathway and Ascorbate-Glutathione Cycle.
Study shows interaction with pathways.
We explored how hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can help reduce chilling injury (CI) in bananas stored at cold temperatures, specifically at 7°C. Our study showed that applying H2S significantly lowered the CI index in banana fruits. We observed that treated bananas retained higher levels of chlorophyll, exhibited less browning, and had better overall peel quality compared to untreated ones.
One of our key findings was that H2S applications led to an increase in the fruit's internal hydrogen sulfide levels, which in turn activated specific enzymes linked to its production. This boost helped lower harmful effects like ion leakage and lipid peroxidation, which are often associated with chilling stress.
We also noticed enhancements in proline and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the treated fruits due to increased activity of related enzymes. Moreover, bananas that received H2S displayed improved antioxidant activity through enhanced levels of crucial compounds like glutathione and ascorbic acid, while decreasing harmful forms of these antioxidants.
Overall, our findings suggest that using hydrogen sulfide can be a practical strategy to help bananas withstand the stresses of cold storage and maintain their quality.
Read More
We investigated how different fat sources in calf starter diets influence growth, health, and inflammation, particularly during cold weather. Our study involved 48 Holstein calves, divided into four diet groups: one without added fat, one with calcium-salts of soybean oil (Ca-SBO), another with calcium-salts of fish oil (Ca-FO), and a mix of both.
We found that calves fed the Ca-FO diet, which contains DHA and other beneficial fats, had significantly better growth performance and higher final body weights compared to the other groups. In fact, these calves showed enhanced feed efficiency and increased average daily gains, suggesting that DHA, often found in fish oils, plays a crucial role in improving growth in challenging cold conditions.
Furthermore, the calves on the Ca-FO diet exhibited lower levels of inflammatory markers compared to their counterparts, which indicates a potential of DHA in reducing inflammation, a common issue in cold environments. In contrast, the Ca-SBO group had higher levels of certain fats and inflammation markers, pointing to the advantages of including DHA in calf diets during cold seasons.
Overall, our findings suggest that enriching calf diets with DHA not only supports better growth in cold climates but also helps in managing inflammation.
Read More
High ALA enhances tilapia healthBeneficial effects of re-feeding high α-linolenic acid diets on the muscle quality, cold temperature and disease resistance of tilapia.
Research relevance is moderately high
We conducted a study to understand the effects of re-feeding tilapia high in α-linolenic acid (ALA) on their muscle quality, cold tolerance, and resistance to disease. In our experiment, we used three groups of tilapia, each fed diets with different ratios of linoleic acid to ALA for 10 weeks.
We found that although all groups showed similar growth, those receiving the high ALA diets exhibited better feed efficiency and muscle quality. Specifically, their muscle was found to be more tender and easier to chew, which is great for anyone interested in fish quality.
After a period of fasting in cold conditions, the fish fed high ALA diets showed lower levels of harmful substances in their blood, indicating better overall health. They also had higher levels of beneficial substances that help fight infections. Remarkably, these fish demonstrated a higher survival rate when challenged with a disease-causing bacteria compared to those on a lower ALA diet.
Overall, our study suggests that incorporating high ALA diets can significantly enhance the cold-hardiness and disease resistance of tilapia, promising better outcomes for fish farming practices, especially heading into winter months.
Read More
DHA enhances beige fat formationAdrenergic Reprogramming of Preexisting Adipogenic Trajectories Steer Naïve Mural Cells Toward Beige Differentiation.
Connection to beige adipocyte differentiation
We explored how cold exposure or β3-adrenoceptor activation leads to the creation of beige fat cells, which are crucial for thermogenesis. Our findings indicated that these beige adipocytes come from the reprogramming of existing cells rather than emerging from a single progenitor. This process mainly involves vascular mural progenitor cells that express the SM22 marker.
A key part of this transformation is the activation of the Adrb3 receptor in mature fat cells, which then triggers the upregulation of another receptor, Adrb1, in progenitor cells. When we maintained a neutral temperature, the combined activation of both Adrb3 and Adrb1 mirrored the recruitment patterns of the SM22+ cells typically seen in cold conditions.
Notably, we observed that lipolysis-derived eicosanoids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), play a significant role in priming these processes. In our study, DHA, along with AA, could stimulate these changes in vitro, implying they are vital in promoting the differentiation of progenitor cells into beige fat cells.
Overall, our study sheds light on the interactions between mature adipocytes and mural cells during cold acclimatization, highlighting the metabolic potential of this unique reservoir of cells.
Read More
DHA's limited role in cold effectsOxidative damage in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, is mainly induced by water temperature variation rather than Aurantiochytrium sp. meal dietary supplementation.
Temperature variation is critical
We looked into how dietary supplementation with Aurantiochytrium sp. meal, which is rich in DHA, affects oxidative damage in Nile tilapia, especially during temperature variations. The study was structured around feeding tilapia a diet supplemented with varying amounts of this DHA source while exposing them to different temperatures—starting with a cold 22°C and then moving to warmer temperatures of 28°C and 33°C.
Our findings revealed that while the DHA-rich diet aimed to enhance the fish's resilience to cold, the significant factor affecting oxidative stress appeared to be temperature changes rather than the dietary supplement itself. Notably, we didn't find a direct correlation between the diet and changes in hemoglobin levels or antioxidant enzyme activity in the fish.
Interestingly, the increase in temperature from cold to warm resulted in higher hemoglobin content and changes in all antioxidant enzymes measured. Mild DNA damage was noted only with the lower level of Aurantiochytrium supplement after cold exposure, suggesting that this additive can be safely included in winter diets without significant negative impacts.
Read More