Meal-induced thermogenesis (MIT) research findings have been highly inconsistent, in part, due to the variety of durations and protocols used to measure MIT. In the present study, we aimed to determine the following: (1) the proportion of a 6 h MIT response completed at 3, 4 and 5 h; (2) the associations between the shorter durations and the 6 h measures; (3) whether shorter durations improved the reproducibility of the measurement. MIT was measured in response to a 2410 kJ mixed composition meal in ten individuals (five males and five females) on two occasions. Energy expenditure was measured continuously for 6 h post-meal using indirect calorimetry, and MIT was calculated as the increase in energy expenditure above the pre-meal RMR. On average, 76, 89 and 96 % of the 6 h MIT response was completed within 3, 4 and 5 h, respectively, and MIT at each of these time points was strongly correlated with the 6 h MIT response (range for correlations, r 0·990–0·998; P< 0·01). The between-day CV for the 6 h measurement was 33 %, but it was significantly lower after 3 h of measurement (CV 26 %; P= 0·02). Despite variability in the total MIT between days, the proportion of MIT that was completed at 3, 4 and 5 h was reproducible (mean CV: 5 %). While 6 h are typically required to measure the complete MIT response, the 3 h measures provide sufficient information about the magnitude of the MIT response and may be applicable for testing individuals on repeated occasions.

Strong epidemiological evidence suggests that slow prenatal or postnatal growth is associated with an increased risk of CVD and other metabolic diseases. However, little is known whether early growth affects postprandial metabolism and, especially, the appetite regulatory hormone system. Therefore, we investigated the impact of early growth on postprandial appetite regulatory hormone responses to two high-protein and two high-fat content meals. Healthy, 65–75-year-old volunteers from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were recruited; twelve with a slow increase in BMI during the first year of life (SGI group) and twelve controls. Subjects ate a test meal (whey meal, casein meal, SFA meal and PUFA meal) once in a random order. Plasma glucose, insulin, TAG, NEFA, ghrelin, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, glucagon-like peptide-1 and a satiety profile were measured in the fasting state and for 4 h after each test meal. Compared with the controls, the SGI group had about 1·5-fold higher insulin responses after the whey meal (P= 0·037), casein meal (P= 0·023) and PUFA meal (P= 0·002). TAG responses were 34–69 % higher for the SGI group, but only the PUFA-meal responses differed significantly between the groups. The PYY response of the SGI group was 44 % higher after the whey meal (P= 0·046) and 115 % higher after the casein meal (P= 0·025) compared with the controls. No other statistically significant differences were seen between the groups. In conclusion, early growth may have a role in programming appetite regulatory hormone secretion in later life. Slow early growth is also associated with higher postprandial insulin and TAG responses but not with incretin levels.

Vitamin D status, as measured by serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (s-25OHD), is important to human health. Dermal 25OHD production depends on UVB light that is influenced by latitude. We aimed to identify factors important to the production of s-25OHD in Arctic people and investigated subjects living in the town of Ilulissat and the settlement of Saqqaq in North Greenland (70°N) during the four seasons. Participants were enrolled with a balanced representation of non-Inuit and Inuit in Ilulissat and Inuit in Saqqaq, men and women, aged 30–39 and 40–49 years. Supplement use, hours spent outdoors and other lifestyle factors were determined by questionnaires. Scores of traditional Inuit food intake were computed from a FFQ at inclusion, and frequencies of intake were recorded at each visit. s-25OHD concentration was measured. There were sixty-four Inuit and thirty-three non-Inuit participants. Inuit food score < 40 % was found in 87, 64 and 48 % of non-Inuit, Inuit in Ilulissat and Inuit in Saqqaq participants, respectively (P= 0·009). Inuit diet associated positively with s-25OHD (P< 0·001). s-25OHD concentration was lower in non-Inuit than in Inuit participants (spring/summer/autumn/winter/average: 30·3 v. 36·8/43·2 v. 44·7/43·6 v. 48·6/32·8 v. 43·5/39·0 v. 44·6 nmol/l, P= 0·002/0·62/0·19/ < 0·001/0·011, respectively). s-25OHD levels differed with season (Inuit, P< 0·001; non-Inuit, P< 0·001) as did diet (Inuit, P< 0·001; non-Inuit, P< 0·001) and hours spent outdoors (Inuit, P< 0·001; non-Inuit, P= 0·012). s-25OHD level was influenced by diet (P< 0·001), season (P< 0·001), origin (P= 0·001), residence (P= 0·013) and sex (P= 0·026). We conclude that the season influenced vitamin D status in Arctic populations beyond diet, ethnicity and vitamin intake. This suggests dermal 25OHD production at a high latitude of 70°N.

The Vietnamese South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS), a cross-sectional study, was undertaken to assess the nutritional status in a nationally representative sample of children aged 0·5–11·9 years. A multi-stage cluster-randomised sampling method was used to recruit 2872 children. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, and waist and hip circumferences. Blood biochemistry involved analyses of Hb, serum ferritin, and vitamins A and D. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24 h recall questionnaire, and nutrient intakes were compared with the Vietnamese RDA. In children aged < 5 years, approximately 14 % were stunted, 8·6 % underweight and 4·4 % thin. A higher prevalence of stunting (15·6 %) and underweight (22·2 %) was observed in school-aged children. Undernutrition was more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. In contrast, almost 29 % of the urban children were either overweight or obese when compared with 4 % of the overweight children and 1·6 % of the obese children in rural areas. A higher percentage of children in the age group 0·5–1·9 years and residing in rural areas had low Hb levels than those in the age group 2·0–5·9 years and residing in urban areas. In children aged 6–11 years, a small percentage had low Hb (11–14 %) and vitamin A (5–10 %) levels, but almost half the children (48–53 %) had vitamin D insufficiency. Food consumption data indicated that the children did not meet the RDA for energy, protein, Fe, vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin C. Results from the SEANUTS highlight the double burden of malnutrition in Vietnam. Information from the SEANUTS can serve as an input for targeted policy development, planning and development of nutrition programmes.

A diet rich in fibre seems to protect against the metabolic syndrome (MetS), but there is scarce information about the role of fibre intake in patients with the MetS and diabetes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of soluble fibre from partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) on the MetS and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the present randomised controlled clinical trial, forty-four patients with type 2 diabetes (males 38·6 %, age 62 (sd 9) years, diabetes duration 14·2 (sd 9·6) years) and the MetS underwent clinical, laboratory and dietary evaluations at baseline, 4 and 6 weeks. All patients followed their usual diet and the intervention group (n 23) received an additional 10 g/d of PHGG. In the intervention group, waist circumference (WC), glycated Hb (HbA1c), 24 h urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and serum trans-fatty acids (FA) were reduced in comparison with baseline after 4 and 6 weeks: WC 103·5 (sd 9·5) to 102·1 (sd 10) to 102·3 (sd 9·7) cm; HbA1c 6·88 (sd 0·99) to 6·64 (sd 0·94) to 6·57 (sd 0·84) %; 24 h UAE 6·8 (interquartile range 3·0–17·5) to 4·5 (interquartile range 3·0–10·5) to 6·2 (interquartile range 3·0–9·5) mg; trans-FA 71 (interquartile range 46–137) to 67 (interquartile range 48–98) to 57 (interquartile range 30–110) mg/l (P< 0·05 for all). The only change in the control group was weight reduction: 77·0 (sd 13·5) to 76·2 (sd 13·3) to 76·1 (sd 13·4) kg (P= 0·005). Other MetS components (blood pressure, TAG, HDL-cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose), total and LDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein and endothelin-1 did not change in either group. In patients with type 2 diabetes and the MetS, the addition of PHGG to the usual diet improved cardiovascular and metabolic profiles by reducing WC, HbA1c, UAE and trans-FA.

The peel of the native Brazilian fruit jaboticaba is rich in anthocyanins, which are known for their anti-obesity effects in animal models. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of freeze-dried jaboticaba peel powder (FDJPP) on a number of metabolic parameters in a model of diet-induced obesity. Mice (n 8 per group) were initially fed on a high-fat diet (HFD, 35 % w/w) for 4 weeks and then switched to a HFD supplemented with FDJPP (1, 2 or 4 % w/w) for an additional 6 weeks. Energy intake, weight loss, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and lipid profile were determined, and the results were evaluated using ANOVA and Tukey's tests. The FDJPP exerted no protective effect on HFD-induced weight gain, hyperleptinaemia and glucose intolerance. However, the supplementation was effective to reduce insulin resistance, as evidenced in the insulin tolerance test, and subsequently confirmed by improved signal transduction through the insulin receptor/insulin receptor substrate-1/Akt/forkhead box protein pathway and by the attenuation of HFD-induced inflammation in the liver, verified by lower expressions of IL-1β and IL-6 and decreased phosphorylated IκB-α protein levels in all jaboticaba-treated mice. These results suggest that FDJPP may exert a protective role against obesity-associated insulin resistance.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are complex glycans that are highly abundant in human milk, but not in infant formula. Accumulating data, mostly from in vitro and animal studies, indicate that HMO benefit the breast-fed infant in multiple ways and in different target organs. In vitro incubation studies suggest that HMO can resist the low pH in the infant's stomach and enzymatic degradation in the small intestine and reach the colon in the same composition as in the mother's milk. The oligosaccharide composition in faeces of breast-fed infants is, however, very different from that in the mother's milk, raising questions on when, where and how HMO are metabolised between ingestion and excretion. To answer some of these questions, we established a pulse-chase model in neonatal rats and analysed HMO profiles to track their composition over time in five consecutive equal-length intestinal segments as well as in serum and urine. The relative abundance of individual HMO changed significantly within the first 2 h after feeding and already in the segments of the small intestine prior to reaching the colon. Only 3′-sialyllactose, the major oligosaccharide in rat milk, and hardly any other HMO appeared in the serum and the urine of HMO-fed rats, indicating a selective absorption of rat milk-specific oligosaccharides. The present results challenge the paradigm that HMO reach the colon and other target organs in the same composition as originally secreted with the mother's milk. The present results also raise questions on whether rats and other animals represent suitable models to study the effects of HMO.

Nutrition is an important factor in mental development and, as a consequence, in cognitive performance. Malnutrition is reflected in children's weight, height and BMI curves. The present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between anthropometric indices and cognitive performance in 6746 school-aged children (aged 6–12 years) of four Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia; Malaysia; Thailand; Vietnam. Cognitive performance (non-verbal intelligence quotient (IQ)) was measured using Raven's Progressive Matrices test or Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence, third edition (TONI-3). Height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) and BMI-for-age z-scores (BAZ) were used as anthropometric nutritional status indices. Data were weighted using age, sex and urban/rural weight factors to resemble the total primary school-aged population per country. Overall, 21 % of the children in the four countries were underweight and 19 % were stunted. Children with low WAZ were 3·5 times more likely to have a non-verbal IQ < 89 (OR 3·53 and 95 % CI 3·52, 3·54). The chance of having a non-verbal IQ < 89 was also doubled with low BAZ and HAZ. In contrast, except for severe obesity, the relationship between high BAZ and IQ was less clear and differed per country. The odds of having non-verbal IQ levels < 89 also increased with severe obesity. In conclusion, undernourishment and non-verbal IQ are significantly associated in 6–12-year-old children. Effective strategies to improve nutrition in preschoolers and school-aged children can have a pronounced effect on cognition and, in the longer term, help in positively contributing to individual and national development.

The present study aimed to determine the effect of positional distribution of long-chain SFA in TAG, especially at the sn-1, 3 positions, on fat deposition using the C57BL/6 mouse model. Throughout the 15 weeks of the study, mice were fed with diets fortified with palm olein (POo), chemically interesterified POo (IPOo) and soyabean oil (SOY). Mice receiving the SOY-enriched diet gained significantly higher amounts of subcutaneous fat (P= 0·011) and total fat (P= 0·013) compared with the POo group, despite similar body mass gain being recorded. During normalisation with food consumption to obtain the fat:feed ratio, mice fed with the POo-enriched diet exhibited significantly lower visceral (P= 0·044), subcutaneous (P= 0·006) and total (P= 0·003) fat:feed than those fed with the SOY-enriched diet. It is noteworthy that mice fed with the IPOo-enriched diet gained 14·3 % more fat per food consumed when compared with the POo group (P= 0·013), despite their identical total fatty acid compositions. This was mainly attributed to the higher content of long-chain SFA at the sn-1, 3 positions of TAG in POo, which results in delayed absorption after deacylation as evidenced by the higher amounts of long-chain SFA excreted in the faeces of mice fed with the POo-enriched diet. Negative correlations were found between the subcutaneous, visceral as well as total fat accretion per food consumption and the total SFA content at the sn-1, 3 positions, while no relationships were found for MUFA and PUFA. The present results show that the positional distribution of long-chain SFA exerts a more profound effect on body fat accretion than the total SFA content.

Immunoglobulins are major glycoproteins that modulate the immune response of gut-associated lymphoid tissue. In the present study, we sought to determine whether orally administered ovine serum immunoglobulins modulate selected indices of mucosal immune function and immune mediators in the growing rat challenged with Salmonella enteritidis. Rats were fed a casein-based basal control diet (BD; unchallenged). Three groups of rats were challenged orally with 1 × 107 viable S. enteritidis on day 15 of the study and were fed the BD, the BD containing freeze-dried ovine immunoglobulins (FDOI), or the BD containing autoclaved ovine immunoglobulins (AOI; negative control diet). The rats were randomly allocated to one of the four groups (n 15) and consumed their diet for 18 d. In all of the intestinal segments, the challenged rats fed either the BD or AOI diet produced higher (P< 0·05) mucosal levels of interferon-γ, TNFα, IgA and myeloperoxidase activity than the challenged rats fed the FDOI diet. In contrast, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were higher in the challenged FDOI-fed rats compared with the other challenged groups. The challenged FDOI-fed rats had higher (P< 0·05) mucosal anti-Salmonella IgA and IgG in all of the intestinal segments except the jejunum and ileum. Generally, the challenged rats receiving the FDOI diet had significantly (P< 0·05) higher mucosal mucin protein content compared with challenged rats receiving either the BD or AOI diet. In conclusion, an ovine immunoglobulin fraction positively modulated some selected indices of mucosal immune function and its mediators in growing rats challenged with S. enteritidis.

Whey proteins (WP) exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Hyperbaric pressurisation of whey increases its digestibility and changes the spectrum of peptides released during digestion. We have shown that dietary supplementation with pressurised whey improves nutritional status and systemic inflammation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Both clinical indices are largely affected by airway processes, to which respiratory epithelial cells actively contribute. Here, we tested whether peptides released from the digestion of pressurised whey can attenuate the inflammatory responses of CF respiratory epithelial cells. Hydrolysates of pressurised WP (pWP) and native WP (nWP, control) were generated in vitro and tested for anti-inflammatory properties judged by the suppression of IL-8 production in CF and non-CF respiratory epithelial cell lines (CFTE29o- and 1HAEo-, respectively). We observed that, in both cell lines, pWP hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to a greater magnitude compared with nWP hydrolysate. Neither hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production induced by TNF-α or IL-1β, suggesting an effect on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 pathway, the cellular sensor for LPS. Further, neither hydrolysate affected TLR4 expression or neutralised LPS. Both pWP and nWP hydrolysates similarly reduced LPS binding to surface TLR4, while pWP tended to more potently increase extracellular antioxidant capacity. In conclusion: (1) anti-inflammatory properties of whey are enhanced by pressurisation; (2) suppression of IL-8 production may contribute to the clinical effects of pressurised whey supplementation on CF; (3) this effect may be partly explained by a combination of reduced LPS binding to TLR4 and enhanced extracellular antioxidant capacity.

Albumen was removed from broiler eggs before the start of incubation to induce prenatal protein under-nutrition in chicken embryos. With this method, the direct effect of protein deficiency was investigated, differing from mammalian models manipulating the maternal diet where indirect, hormonal effects can interfere. Based on the estimated albumen/egg weight ratio, 10 % of albumen was removed with an 18G needle, after making a hole at the sharp end of the egg with another 18G needle. Eggs were taped thereafter. The sham group underwent the same procedure, except that no albumen was removed. Control eggs did not receive any treatment. The removal of albumen decreased both embryonic and post-hatch body weight up to day 7 compared with the control group. On embryonic day 18, embryos from the albumen-deprived group had higher plasma uric acid levels compared with the sham (P= 0·016) and control (P= 0·009) groups. Moreover, a lower plasma amino acid concentration was observed at hatch compared with the sham (P= 0·038) and control (P= 0·152) groups. These findings indicate an altered protein metabolism. At hatch, a higher mRNA expression of muscle ring finger-1 (MuRF1), a gene related to proteolysis, was observed in albumen-deprived chicks compared with the control and sham chicks, together with an up-regulated expression of atrogin-1 (another atrogene) at this time point in the male protein-deficient chicks. These findings suggest that muscle proteolysis is transiently increased by the removal of albumen before the start of incubation. No evidence was found for altered protein synthesis capacity and translational efficiency in albumen-deprived chicks.

The Clostridium-related poultry disease, necrotic enteritis (NE), causes substantial economic losses on a global scale. In the present study, a mixture of two plant-derived phytonutrients, Capsicum oleoresin and turmeric oleoresin (XT), was evaluated for its effects on local and systemic immune responses using a co-infection model of experimental NE in commercial broilers. Chickens were fed from hatch with a diet supplemented with XT, or with a non-supplemented control diet, and either uninfected or orally challenged with virulent Eimeria maxima oocysts at 14 d and Clostridium perfringens at 18 d of age. Parameters of protective immunity were as follows: (1) body weight; (2) gut lesions; (3) serum levels of C. perfringens α-toxin and NE B-like (NetB) toxin; (4) serum levels of antibodies to α-toxin and NetB toxin; (5) levels of gene transcripts encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the intestine and spleen. Infected chickens fed the XT-supplemented diet had increased body weight and reduced gut lesion scores compared with infected birds given the non-supplemented diet. The XT-fed group also displayed decreased serum α-toxin levels and reduced intestinal IL-8, lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF), IL-17A and IL-17F mRNA levels, while cytokine/chemokine levels in splenocytes increased in the XT-fed group, compared with the animals fed the control diet. In conclusion, the present study documents the molecular and cellular immune changes following dietary supplementation with extracts of Capsicum and turmeric that may be relevant to protective immunity against avian NE.

Obesity is characterised by chronic low-grade inflammation, and lycopene has been reported to display anti-inflammatory effects. However, it is not clear whether lycopene supplementation modulates adipokine levels in vivo in obesity. To determine whether lycopene supplementation can regulate adipokine expression in obesity, male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to receive a control diet (C, n 6) or a hyperenergetic diet (DIO, n 12) for 6 weeks. After this period, the DIO animals were randomised into two groups: DIO (n 6) and DIO supplemented with lycopene (DIO+L, n 6). The animals received maize oil (C and DIO) or lycopene (DIO+L, 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) per d) by oral administration for a 6-week period. The animals were then killed by decapitation, and blood samples and epididymal adipose tissue were collected for hormonal determination and gene expression evaluation (IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), TNF-α, leptin and resistin). There was no detectable lycopene in the plasma of the C and DIO groups. However, the mean lycopene plasma concentration was 24 nmol in the DIO+L group. Although lycopene supplementation did not affect BW or adiposity, it significantly decreased leptin, resistin and IL-6 gene expression in epididymal adipose tissue and plasma concentrations. Also, it significantly reduced the gene expression of MCP-1 in epididymal adipose tissue. Lycopene affects adipokines by reducing leptin, resistin and plasma IL-6 levels. These data suggest that lycopene may be an effective strategy in reducing inflammation in obesity.

In mammals, the main component of the circadian system is the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus. However, circadian clocks are also present in most peripheral tissues, such as adipose tissue. The aim of the present study was to analyse the potential effects of resveratrol on changes induced by high-fat feeding in the expression of clock genes and clock-controlled genes in the white adipose tissue from rats. For this purpose, rats were divided into three groups: a control group, fed a standard diet, and two other groups, either fed a high-fat diet supplemented with resveratrol (RSV) or no resveratrol (HF). The expression of clock genes and clock-controlled genes was analysed by RT-PCR. Protein expression and fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity were also analysed. When comparing the controls, the RSV group showed similar patterns of response to the HF group, except for reverse erythroblastosis virus α (Rev-Erbα), which was down-regulated. The expression of this gene reached the same levels as in control rats. The response pattern of protein expression for Rev-Erbα was similar to that found for gene expression. High-fat feeding up-regulated all adipogenic genes and resveratrol did not modify them. In the HF group, the activity of FAS tended to increase, while resveratrol decreased. In conclusion, resveratrol reverses the change induced by high-fat feeding in the expression of Rev-Erbα in adipose tissue, which means that clock machinery is a target for this polyphenol. This change seems to be related to reduced lipogenesis, which might be involved in the body fat-lowering effect of this molecule.

Systemic Fe overload can contribute to abnormal glucose metabolism and the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although hepcidin is the master regulator of systemic Fe homeostasis, few studies have systematically evaluated the associations of serum hepcidin concentrations with Fe metabolism parameters and risks for the development of T2D. In this regard, whether hepcidin concentrations are associated with T2D remains controversial. We measured serum hepcidin and ferritin concentrations in a case–control study of 1259 Han Chinese participants to evaluate the possible associations of serum hepcidin concentrations with Fe metabolism parameters and risks of T2D. Individuals with diabetes (n 555) and control participants (n 704) were recruited and serum hepcidin and ferritin concentrations were quantified. Additionally, selected biochemical and anthropometric variables were determined. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of serum hepcidin and ferritin concentrations with T2D. A linear regression analysis was used to test for associations between serum hepcidin and ferritin concentrations and a number of clinical, demographic and diabetes-associated variables. We found that serum hepcidin concentrations correlated with Hb and serum ferritin concentrations. No differences in hepcidin concentrations were found between the group with diabetes and the control group. Hepcidin concentrations were not significantly correlated with T2D risk factors. We also found that serum ferritin concentrations were elevated in individuals with diabetes and were positively correlated with both Hb concentrations and T2D risk factors. The present findings suggest that serum ferritin concentrations correlate with T2D risk factors, while serum hepcidin concentrations are positively associated with Hb and serum ferritin concentrations, but do not correlate with T2D.

The effect of rice protein (RP) on diabetic nephropathy in non-obese, spontaneous type 2 diabetic Goto–Kakizaki (GK) rats was investigated. GK rats at 7 weeks of age were fed 20 % RP or casein (C) in standard or high-sucrose diets for 10 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol, TAG, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), adiponectin, creatinine and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) were measured and renal histology was evaluated. Compared with C, RP lowered plasma TAG and improved plasma adiponectin levels in GK rats fed the standard diet (P< 0·05), and also lowered total cholesterol and ALP in high-sucrose-fed GK rats (P< 0·05). RP markedly suppressed the sharp increase in UAE when GK rats were fed high-sucrose diets (P< 0·05), and prevented glomerular mesangial matrix expansion in the deep renal cortex near the corticomedullary junction (P< 0·05). These results strongly indicate that dietary RP can ameliorate the progression of diabetic nephropathy at an early stage compared with C.

The antiviral effects of both a live and non-live Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92 (L-92) were investigated by oral administration (10 mg/mouse per d) daily for 21 d in a mouse model infected intranasally with influenza virus (H1N1). Virus titres in the lung of mice administered either live or non-live L-92 cells daily for 15 d were repressed 6 d after virus infection compared with the control group. Natural killer (NK) activity in the orally administered non-live L-92 group was higher compared with that of the control group before virus infection and on day 6. In contrast, NK activity in the live L-92 group compared with the control group was not significantly changed on both days, but was significantly higher on day 1. In contrast, live L-92 showed a greater repression of virus proliferation compared with non-live L-92, 6 d after the infection. Live L-92 decreased the number of neutrophils in the lung and suppressed lung weight, leading to the consequent deterioration of consolidation scores of the lung. These results indicated that pretreatment of live or non-live L-92 cells had protective effects against influenza virus infection. Among the measured cytokines and chemokines, eotaxin, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IL-1β, RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and interferon-α were significantly increased in the lung: IL-17 was significantly increased in Peyer's patch of the live L-92 group compared with the control group. A mechanistic study suggested that the enhancement of NK activity in the lung caused by stimulating various antiviral cytokines and chemokines after the oral administration of L-92 cells might be important in protecting against virus infection.

Curcumin has been used in Asian traditional medicine for its medicinal properties. Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin has antioxidant, anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of curcumin on established lupus nephritis (LN) in New Zealand Black/White (NZB/W) F1 female mice, in particular, its interaction with regulatory T (Treg) cells. Starting at 18 weeks of age, mice were fed a standard diet or a diet containing 1 % curcumin until the end of the study. The proteinuria level and the serum levels of IgG1, IgG2a and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) IgG antibodies were measured. Additionally, IgG immune complex deposition in the glomeruli and renal inflammation were compared between curcumin-treated mice and control mice. Curcumin decreased the proteinuria level and serum levels of IgG1, IgG2a and anti-dsDNA IgG antibodies in NZB/W F1 female mice. IgG immune complex deposition in the glomeruli was reduced in curcumin-treated mice. Furthermore, renal inflammation was also decreased after curcumin treatment. Interestingly, these therapeutic effects of curcumin disappeared after Treg depletion by anti-CD25 antibody injection. Curcumin exerted a protective effect against LN in NZB/W F1 mice. We speculate that the protective effects of curcumin in LN may involve, at least in part, its interaction with Treg cells.

The present study evaluated whether the inclusion of protein (PRO) and amino acids (AA) within a maltodextrin (MD) and galactose (GAL) recovery drink enhanced post-exercise liver and muscle glycogen repletion. A total of seven trained male cyclists completed two trials, separated by 7 d. Each trial involved 2 h of standardised intermittent cycling, followed by 4 h recovery. During recovery, one of two isoenergetic formulations, MD–GAL (0·9 g MD/kg body mass (BM) per h and 0·3 g GAL/kg BM per h) or MD–GAL-PRO+AA (0·5 g MD/kg BM per h, 0·3 g GAL/kg BM per h, 0·4 g whey PRO hydrolysate plus l-leucine and l-phenylalanine/kg BM per h) was ingested at every 30 min. Liver and muscle glycogen were measured after depletion exercise and at the end of recovery using 1H-13C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Despite higher postprandial insulin concentations for MD–GAL-PRO+AA compared with MD–GAL (61·3 (se 6·2) v. 29·6 (se 3·0) mU/l, (425·8 (se 43·1) v. 205·6 (se 20·8) pmol/l) P= 0·03), there were no significant differences in post-recovery liver (195·3 (se 2·6) v. 213·8 (se 18·0) mmol/l) or muscle glycogen concentrations (49·7 (se 4·0) v. 51·1 (se 7·9) mmol/l). The rate of muscle glycogen repletion was significantly higher for MD–GAL compared with MD–GAL-PRO+AA (5·8 (se 0·7) v. 3·7 (se 0·6) mmol/l per h, P= 0·04), while there were no significant differences in the rate of liver glycogen repletion (15·0 (se 2·5) v. 13·0 (se 2·7) mmol/l per h). PRO and AA within a MD–GAL recovery drink, compared with an isoenergetic mix of MD–GAL, did not enhance but matched liver and muscle glycogen recovery. This suggests that the increased postprandial insulinaemia only compensated for the lower MD content in the MD–GAL-PRO+AA treatment.